The Baltimore Ravens placed another running back on injured reserve Tuesday after Keaton Mitchell tore his ACL on Sunday. Amid his season-ending injury, the Ravens signed Melvin Gordon from their practice squad, the team announced. Baltimore also signed running back Jake Funk to the practice squad.
Gordon signed with the Ravens in July but was released before the regular season and re-signed to the practice squad. He's appeared in two games in Week 3 and 4, totaling 99 yards from scrimmage on 16 touches.
It remains to be seen what type of work the 30-year-old Gordon will get in the Ravens offense, but they are running thin at the running back position. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have played some meaningful snaps this season but aren’t as successful as Gordon in their NFL careers.
Edwards would be the presumed starter going forward, though perhaps Baltimore can use Gordon as a change-of-pace guy or in the passing game. He should be fresh given he hasn’t seen the field since Week 4.
Navigating running back injuries
The Ravens have had bad luck at the running back position in recent years. Promising back JK Dobbins tore his ACL before the 2021 season before playing well in a short stint in 2022. He then tore his Achilles tendon during the first game of the 2023 season, ending his year before it began.
The Ravens found a diamond in the rough in Keaton Mitchell who was undrafted in April. He slotted into the offense nicely and even started a pair of games before suffering a devastating knee injury that ended his rookie season.
Baltimore needs to rally around yet another injury to an important member of the offense and rely on some unfamiliar and unpolished faces in the meantime. The Ravens can’t dwell on these injuries as they march toward the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Will Melvin Gordon play a factor before Baltimore's 2023 season concludes?
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