J.K. Dobbins could return to Baltimore Ravens training camp soon, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, but head coach John Harbaugh says “the ball is in J.K.'s court.” Dobbins is still working through knee issues that have been a problem since he tore his ACL ahead of the 2021 season, but is there more to the story?
Harbaugh spoke to Dobbins on Monday and says he does expect the running back to be back with the team soon. However, it's not 100% clear whether Dobbins is strictly sitting out due to his physical health or if contractual concerns are playing a bigger role. The 24-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which pays only $1.39 million this season. Ravens veteran running back Melvin Gordon also raised some eyebrows with this line last week: “I didn’t even know J.K. was sitting out until I came here.”
What does that mean?
As of this week, there's no evidence that suggests Dobbins plans to sit out this season until he gets a contract extension. John Harbaugh and fellow running back Gus Edwards also believe Dobbins wants to be participating on the field as soon as possible.
“I see him every day, he's in there. He's still working hard,” Edwards said Tuesday at training camp . “I know he's going to be ready because that's the type of guy he is.”
Edwards' words indicate health is the bigger concern, and Harbaugh seems to believe the same thing. “We talk a lot. He wants to be out there, and he needs to be out there, just like any player does,” Harbaugh said last week. “Other than that, there’s nothing else that I can really add because I don’t know when he’s going to come back. But I know I’m going to be really happy when he does.”
His status on the PUP list (physically unable to perform) is one more sign that points to health as the limiting factor at this point.
Early in his NFL career, health has been a major problem for J.K. Dobbins. He missed the entire 2021 season with the torn ACL. Then, he underwent a procedure on the same knee in the middle of last season that sidelined him for six weeks. Altogether, Dobbins has played in 25 games in his first three years in the NFL.
However, if Dobbins does demand an extension, it's very unlikely terms are reached this year. Between the current state of the RB market and Dobbins' track record with availability, the Ravens just aren't going to risk committing to a long-term extension.