Don deal; the colts have completed their trade for signing a vital player that they ever wanted
They had a very successful free agency class in 2023. It would have been difficult for general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh to cross more things off their to-do list.
They decided to extend their contract with quarterback Lamar Jackson for a long time after initially using the franchise tag. Jackson now appears to be an MVP candidate who is well worth his $52 million salary.
In order to cover gaps at vital positions like wide receiver and pass rusher, Baltimore also used free agency. A few of those players signed one-year contracts and will be free agents again in the spring, putting DeCosta and Harbaugh in a tough position.
To persuade the Ravens to offer him a contract extension, J.K. Dobbins organized a hold-in during the offseason. Before Dobbins tore his Achilles in Week 1, the two sides were unable to come to a new agreement in a tale that seems far too familiar.
When Dobbins has been able to stay on the field, he has always been productive. Since joining the league in 2020, he has had the highest yardage per attempt of any running back (min. 200 carries), at 5.8.
When he becomes a free agent in March, the former second-round pick will have also missed 42 of his previous 51 games. It’s likely that Dobbins will have to make do with an incentive-based, one-year contract.
Associated RB Gus Edwards has struggled with his own injuries, most notably an ACL tear that prevented him from playing in the 2021 season. However, since signing with the Ravens in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, he leads the team in rushing success percentage (57.9%).
It is reasonable to wonder how much Edwards has profited from Jackson’s gravity as a rushing threat and Baltimore’s scheme. Throughout his NFL career, Dobbins has had the second-highest rushing success rate, indicating that operating inside the Ravens’ offensive system has proven beneficial.
