With all the hype surrounding Derrick Henry's arrival, it's easy to forget that the Baltimore Ravens' lead running back last season is no longer with the team.
Gus Edwards first joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2018, and turned out to be a diamond in the rough. Over five seasons in Baltimore (he missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL), Edwards rushed for 3,365 yards and 26 touchdowns, surpassing the 700-yard mark on four occasions. He's coming off a season in which he ran for an impressive 810 yards and 13 touchdowns, but the catch is that he averaged just 4.1 yards per carry, nearly a full yard less than the five yards per carry he averaged the year before.
This offseason, Edwards was one of several former Ravens to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers and new coach Jim Harbaugh, younger brother of longtime Baltimore coach John Harbaugh.
Now on the West Coast, Edwards could be in line for a big role with his new team. Daniel Popper, the Chargers beat writer for The Athletic, sees Edwards as "the clear lead back," which could lead to him being a Week 1 starter for the first time in his career.
Additionally, another former Raven is right below Edwards on the running back totem pole. J.K. Dobbins, a 2020 second-round pick by Baltimore, is reportedly in line to earn the Chargers' No. 2 running back job behind Edwards if healthy.
Unfortunately, that "if healthy" part is the big catch here, as Ravens fans know all too well. Dobbins had a strong rookie season with 805 yards and nine touchdowns, but much like Edwards, missed the entire 2021 season with an ACL injury during the preseason. He then missed significant time in 2022 with another knee injury, then suffered a torn Achilles in the season opener last year. The 25-year-old is very talented, but he has sadly been cursed with horrible injury luck throughout his career.
While Baltimore moves forward with Henry as the lead back, two former Ravens hope to continue their careers on the other side of the country, presumably with fans in purple and black supporting them along the way.
