Baltimore Ravens promoting veteran RB Devonta Freeman to active roster, agent says
Written by Luck Wilson on September 16, 2021
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens are promoting running back Devonta Freeman to the active roster Thursday after he spent one week on the team’s practice squad, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Freeman, 29, joins Ty’Son Williams and Latavius Murray in Baltimore’s revamped running backs group. The Ravens signed Freeman to the practice squad Friday, one day after Gus Edwards suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice.
A two-time Pro Bowl player, Freeman was cut by the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 31 after spending a month with the team. Last season, Freeman gained 172 yards rushing and scored one touchdown in five games with the New York Giants.
In Monday’s season-opening 33-27 loss in Las Vegas, the Ravens split the touches between Williams (12 for 94 total yards and one touchdown) and Murray (10 for 28 yards). Baltimore went with Williams primarily in the first half before leaning more on Murray in the second half.
Freeman provides more experience than Trenton Cannon, who was cut a day after being Baltimore’s No. 3 back Monday night.
The promotion of Freeman leaves Le’Veon Bell as the only running back on the practice squad. On Wednesday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said all four running backs would be used at some point.
“We have four good guys in here, and those guys are all going to be a big part of what we’re doing going forward,” Harbaugh said. “I’m excited about having those four guys. I think we were very, very blessed, the fact that those guys were available when our guys got hurt. So, it’s big. They’re good players, and they’re going to play well.”
Injuries have devastated the Ravens’ running backs. Baltimore lost three running backs — J.K. Dobbins (knee), Gus Edwards (knee) and Justice Hill (Achilles) — to season-ending injuries in the three weeks leading up to the season opener.
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