A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Baltimore Ravens injured running back, J.K. Dobbins, will undergo knee surgery and be out for the next four to six weeks.
On Friday, Schefter noted that Dobbins would have arthroscopic surgery to treat his knee injury next week. The Ravens are expected to sideline Dobbins starting this week following his absence from the team’s practice.
Ravens’ standout RB J.K. Dobbins is expected to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery next week that would sideline him 4-6 weeks, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2022
Dobbins played for four games this season and had rushed for 123 yards from 35 carries. According to ESPN, Dobbins shared his thought about his performance against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 9, saying that it was “super hard” for him not to play in the fourth quarter, despite the Ravens winning the game 19-17.
Last Sunday, Dobbins did not play the entire second half after injuring himself after the Ravens’ 24-20 loss to the New York Giants. Talking about the situation, head coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that Dobbins’ knee tightened up and obstructed him from playing in the second half.
“J.K.’s knee tightened up on him,” Harbaugh said. “He just didn’t feel like he had that explosiveness in the second half. I think he might’ve landed on it at some point.”
Heading into the next game against the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens are on a 3-3 overall record. With Dobbins’ absence, Jamison Hensley of ESPN predicted the Ravens will rely on backup running back Kenyan Drake. Drake was listed as the first running back to gain 100 rushing yards this season for the Ravens.
Hensley also said coach Harbaugh will include two running backs, Justice Hill and Gus Edwards. Hill, who averaged the most yards per carry for the Ravens at 6.6 yards, is confirmed to play against the Browns. Previously, he missed two games in Weeks 5 and 6 due to an injured hamstring.
For Edwards, Hensley said that Harbaugh took him from the PUP list after the 27-year-old running back joined the Ravens’ practice in the last two weeks.
Another big blow for Dobbins
With this new injury, Hensley said it was another blow for Dobbins, who was sidelined all last season after injuring the knee in the preseason when Dobbins got his ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring torn.
The Ravens selected Dobbins from the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, the former Buckeyes rushed for 805 yards with nine touchdowns and added 18 receptions for 120 receiving yards before missing the entire 2021 NFL season.
With Dobbins’ projected absence time, the Ravens expected to play Dobbins when they face the Denver Broncos in Week 13. But, analysts said that Dobbins’ return depends on his surgery and recovery process.
Facing the next game without Dobbins, Harbaugh voiced his opinion on Drake’s performance. He said that Drake, as a backup, was “really effective” due to his speed and explosiveness.
Aside from Dobbins, the Ravens have several players listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s game, including TE Mark Andrews, who suffered a knee injury, and WR Rashod Bateman, who injured his foot. The Ravens have also designated TE Charlie Kolar to the IR list due to a sports hernia.