[Baltimore Sun] Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell returns to practice; 2 cornerbacks also back
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The NFL’s leading rushing attack is about to get even stronger.
Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell returned to practice Wednesday in Owings Mills. It marks the first time he has practiced since suffering a torn ACL in mid-December of last season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Baltimore has 21 days to add him to the roster from the physically unable to perform list or the second-year back will revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Mitchell, who last season provided a jolt to the Ravens’ rushing attack with his breakaway speed, joins a backfield that already includes the league’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry (873 yards, eight touchdowns) and versatile veteran Justice Hill, whom Baltimore recently signed to a contract extension.
However, it remains to be seen if the 5-foot-9, 181-pound speedster who was wearing a brace on his surgically repaired left knee has the same explosiveness he displayed during his rookie year as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina.
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Mitchell, who rushed for 396 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries and caught nine passes for 93 yards in eight games a season ago, tore three ligaments and cartilage in what was described as a “nasty” injury. There was no nerve damage or other complications, however, and five weeks ago Mitchell posted on X that he had reached 20-plus mph while working out.
It was initially believed he would not be able to practice until early December, but his return Wednesday signals a possible mid-November return.
From Weeks 9 through 16 last season Mitchell, who is the son of former Ravens defensive back Anthony Mitchell, was one of the fastest and best backs in the NFL. His 8.4 yards per carry and 5.9 yards after contact led the league, and he was third in broken tackle percentage and fourth in yards before contact (2.9) during that span.
Mitchell’s top speed of 20.99 mph, per Next Gen Stats, was the fastest of any Ravens running back last season.
This year, however, he has plenty of competition for carries with Henry averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. In Monday night’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 30-year-old ran for 169 yards on 15 carries, marking the fourth time he’s topped the century mark in the past five games, and he reached a top speed of 21.72 mph during an 81-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Consequently, the Ravens have rolled up the most yards in the league during their five-game winning streak, during which they have averaged 35 points and 479 yards per game after totaling 508 yards on Monday night.
Baltimore’s 244 rushing yards against Tampa Bay also made them just the fourth team since 1980 to have at least 1,400 rushing yards through seven games.
Mitchell wasn’t the only player to return Wednesday in the week’s first practice ahead of Sunday’s game against the Browns in Cleveland.
Cornerbacks Arthur Maulet (hamstring-knee) and Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) were back, though both were limited in the late afternoon walk-through practice, according to the injury report. Armour-Davis also has 21 days to be added to the roster after coming off injured reserve.
Several others were missing, though.
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Wide receiver Zay Flowers (ankle), cornerbacks Nate Wiggins (shoulder) and Marlon Humphrey (knee), defensive tackle Travis Jones (knee), cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle) and rookie running back Rasheen Ali (ankle) all did not practice. Linebacker Malik Harrison (groin) and defensive tackle Broderick Washington (knee) were limited.
For Cleveland, running back Jerome Ford (knee), linebacker Jordan Hicks (elbow/triceps), safety Ronnie Hickman (ankle), left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), center Ethan Pocic (knee) and backup defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (personal) all did not practice. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Hicks, Wills and Pocic are “day to day.”
Meanwhile, right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) and backup cornerback Tony Brown (ankle) were limited. Defensive end Myles Garrett (Achilles tendon), wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee) and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (right finger) were full participants. Stefanski said quarterback Jameis Winston will start Sunday after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Right guard Wyatt Teller (knee) was designated to return for Cleveland. He’s been on IR since Sept. 25.
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.
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