Edwards was elevated as the team’s lead running back after J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL in a preseason game; Peters came to the Ravens in the middle of the 2019 season and has started 23 of 24 games for the club
Last Updated: 09/09/21 11:44pm
Marcus Peters and Gus Edwards
The Baltimore Ravens shut down practice early on Thursday after running back Gus Edwards and two-time All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters suffered significant knee injuries on back-to-back plays, according to reports.
The Ravens fear Edwards and Peters have torn ACLs, per the reports from ESPN and NFL Network.
Edwards was elevated as the team’s No 1 running back after J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL on August 28 in a preseason game. The team also lost reserve RB Justice Hill to a torn Achilles last Thursday.
Tests are being conducted on both Edwards and Peters.
Peters has started 23 of 24 games for the Ravens since joining in 2019
Peters, 28, came to the Ravens in the middle of the 2019 season and has started 23 of 24 games for the club. He made the Pro Bowl and was named All-Pro after the 2019 campaign. Peters also made All-Pro in 2016 with the Kansas City Chiefs, who selected him No. 18 overall in the 2015 draft.
Peters was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 after intercepting eight passes, which stands as his career high.
Edwards has played in 43 games (13 starts) for the Ravens since joining the club as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has rushed for 2,152 yards and 10 touchdowns in a mostly backup role.
Edwards had been elevated to the number one running back for the Ravens following an injury to J. K. Dobbins
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said before practice that the team was considering elevating running back Le’Veon Bell to their active roster against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. Now it might be essential.
“I think there’s a chance,” Harbaugh said before practice. “He’s excited. He’s learning and we’ll see where it goes.”
After losing Dobbins, Hill and apparently Edwards to season-ending injuries, the Ravens have a backfield of Ty’Son Williams and Trenton Cannon.
To bolster their backfield, the Ravens later Thursday signed former Atlanta Falcons RB Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, ESPN reported. The expectation is that Freeman will be added to the active roster, too.
Freeman, 29, rushed for 4,144 yards in seven seasons with the Falcons and New York Giants in 2020. He has 33 career TDs and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Running back Le’Veon Bell could now play a crucial role for the Ravens
Bell, 29, was a two-time All-Pro with the Steelers before he forced his way out of Pittsburgh by holding out for the entire 2018 season. He signed with the New York Jets as a free agent, but was cut last October after 1 ½ seasons with the team.
Bell then signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and ran for 254 yards and two touchdowns over nine games in the regular season. He was not active on the Chiefs’ game day roster for the AFC Championship Game and did not see the field during their loss in Super Bowl LV.
In seven NFL seasons, Bell has totaled 6,453 rushing yards, 40 rushing touchdowns, plus 3,259 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches.
