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unning back should be set for the Baltimore Ravens after the arrival of two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry this offseason, but injuries mean the depth chart looks thin, something Super Bowl winner Jerick McKinnon would fix.
He’s been named a fit for the Ravens to add now by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine. The fit is based on how “keeping Derrick Henry healthy for the home stretch and the postseason is going to be a critical objective throughout the season. Right now, the Ravens are ill-equipped to do it.”
As Ballentine pointed out, “Keaton Mitchell will start the season will start the season on the PUP list and Owen Wright was placed on injured reserve.”
The answer to a lack of numbers is to trust McKinnon, despite his age: “Someone like Jerick McKinnon can still help as a pass-catching back, though. He’s 32, but just one season removed from have 56 receptions for 512 yards and 10 total touchdowns.”
McKinnon is a good fit because his niche skills as a receiver would make him something different in the Baltimore backfield. Those skills came in handy when McKinnon helped the Kansas City Chiefs win the last two Super Bowls.
Jerick McKinnon Has Hidden Value for Ravens
The Ravens don’t have a true pass-catcher out of the backfield. Henry is solid in this area, but the 30-year-old’s game is more about punishing defenses in the running game.
It’s a similar story with Henry’s chief backup, Justice Hill. The latter offers speed around the corner on the ground, but Hill has a mere 53 career catches to his credit.
McKinnon, by contrast, boasts a prolific track record as a receiver. A career tally of 338 catches and 22 touchdowns through the air proves McKinnon’s hidden value in a niche area.
The veteran does his best work in the red zone, but McKinnon is a useful check-down target from anywhere on the field. His quickness and understanding of route concepts creates mismatches against all types of coverage, like when McKinnon beat linebacker Devin Lloyd and the Jacksonville Jaguars on this play highlighted by Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports.
Plays like this are why McKinnon rates as a quarterback-friendly target. He’d make Ravens’ QB1 Lamar Jackson’s job easier by creating easy reads and quick throws.
McKinnon would also grant offensive coordinator Todd Monken freedom to design more elaborate passing concepts. Shifting McKinnon around formations, the way Chiefs motioned him into the slot for a touchdown catch against the Denver Broncos in 2023, per Next Gen Stats, would move defenders around and manufacture mismatches in space.
After shifting into the slot, Jerick McKinnon catches his 2nd TD of the game, both of which came on flat routes.
McKinnon has caught 7 TD on flat routes this season, 3 more than any other player in a season since 2018.
Combining McKinnon with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely could offset the Ravens’ ongoing lack of star power at wide receiver. It would also fill a gap in the running back room, where the Ravens don’t have another player with McKinnon’s versatility.
Ravens Lacking Depth, Versatility at Running Back
Mitchell was showcasing the traits to be a breakout star before suffering a torn ACL last season. His field-stretching speed will be missed while fellow undrafted free agent Wright is sidelined by a broken foot.
Their absences leave the Ravens counting 2024 NFL draft fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali to add some quicks and receiving chops to the backfield rotation. The problem is Ali’s been limited by a neck problem ahead of the regular-season opener against the Chiefs, according to Ryan Mink of Ravens.com.
Turning to McKinnon would be a cost-effective way for the Ravens to boost their options at a key position. He still needs a new team and could likely be had for the veteran’s minimum salary, good news when the Ravens have just $4,862,994 worth of space under the salary cap.
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