Getty Ravens RB Gus Edwards runs the ball in a regular season game on October 23, 2022.
When Gus Edwards went down to the turf grabbing his right leg following a 22-yard run in the fourth of the Baltimore Ravens Week 8 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was a concerning sight. Given that he was playing in his second game in four days after making his 2022 debut in Week 7 coming off a knee injury that caused him to miss the entire 2021 season.
He was able to walk off the field but did not re-enter the game and afterward, head coach John Harbaugh said that it didn’t look serious but that they’d no more in the coming days. The Ravens and their fans can exhale a sigh of relief because according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the severity of Edwards’ injury remains minor and won’t cause him to miss an extensive amount of time if any at all.
Good news for #Ravens RB Gus Edwards: The hamstring injury he suffered on Thursday is described as a minor, source said, and if he misses time, it’s likely just a week or so.
Since the Ravens played the first game in Week 8 and will play the final game in Week 9, Edwards will have some extra time to recover. The team will travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints on November 7, 2022, in a second straight primetime game except this time on Monday Night Football then will have a bye in Week 10. The fifth-year pro has only been on the field for 39 offensive snaps in the past two games but has made his presence felt with 131 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on just 27 carries.
Backfield Still In Good Shape
Even though he finished as the team’s leading rusher against the Buccaneers with 65 yards on 11 carries, Edwards wasn’t the only Ravens running back that had a strong performance on the ground. Seven-veteran Kenyan Drake finished right behind in total rushing yards with 62 on eight carries including a 40-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter on the offense’s fourth straight scoring drive in the second half.
.@KDx32 still has that burst. Big play!
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He also caught four passes for five yards all of which came on a five-yard touchdown reception. Drake is an excellent zone runner with great vision that can put his foot in the ground and explode upfield to gash opposing defenses on any given play.
TOUCHDOWN @KDx32‼️‼️
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Fourth-year pro Justice Hill finished last on the team in rushing yards with 28 but still averaged seven yards on all four of his carries. He has been one of the Ravens’ most consistent and efficient ball carriers this season when healthy.
The team also has veteran Mike Davis on the active roster but he is primarily utilized as an extra blocker whenever he’s on the field. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay is a consistent contributor to the run game as well and is capable of making big plays and scoring touchdowns on jet sweeps and traditional handoffs.
Could Tyler Badie Make Regular Season Debut?
In the event that Edwards does miss a game or two and the Ravens still want to have a fourth running back on their active gameday roster, they still have viable options in-house. Instead of signing a veteran stop-gap off the street that doesn’t know the playbook for a one-to-two-week rental, they could just promote rookie Tyler Badie from the practice squad.
The Ravens selected the first-year running back with their final pick in this year’s draft at No. 196 overall in the sixth round out of Missouri. He spent the spring, summer, and training camp with the team but despite showing some flashes in the preseason, he didn’t do enough to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster.
.@Only1Badie for 6 ❗️
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Thankfully, he was able to clear waivers and remain with the team on the practice squad where he has been waiting for the first regular-season action of his rookie year. The Ravens already have a good pass-catching back in Drake and a great special teamer in Hill so if elevated, Badie would likely just provide depth at both in case of injury.