The Baltimore Ravens are starting to trickle in for the start of training camp. Rookies have already reported while veterans are slated to come in on July 20, but as the defending AFC North champions begin gearing up for the season they will be without a notable piece of their offense. Running back Keaton Mitchell will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, the team announced. Mitchell has been recovering from a torn ACL that cut his impressive rookie season short.
The East Carolina standout had a mini-breakout as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Mitchell saw increased reps on offense by midseason and rushed for 138 yards on just nine carries in a Week 9 win over the Seahawks. From there, Mitchell would be a change of pace/speed option for Baltimore and earn two starts down the stretch as the franchise set itself up for the No. 1 seed in the conference. In all, Mitchell accumulated 489 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in eight games played before suffering that ACL tear in the Ravens Week 15 matchup against the Jaguars.
Given how late in the year the injury occurred, it's not surprising that Mitchell is being eased back. The 22-year-old is eligible to come off the PUP list at any point before the start of the season, but head coach John Harbaugh did acknowledge back in May that he doesn't expect him to be ready for Week 1.
"It's sometime during the season," Harbaugh said at the time. "It's not like right around the corner. We shouldn't be biting our fingernails, [wondering] is he going to get back.
Of course, Derrick Henry is slated to be the lead back for the Ravens coupled with what quarterback Lamar Jackson can provide as a runner, so Baltimore's rushing attack won't be lacking. That said, if Mitchell is able to return to form at some point this season, he'll be a dynamic piece in what is already a lethal ground attack.
