Keaton Mitchell 'On Schedule' But Won't Be Ready For Week 1
Keaton Mitchell's recovery is on schedule from a season-ending torn ACL in Week 15, but he won't be ready to play by Week 1, according to Head Coach John Harbaugh.
The undrafted running back made a major impact on the Ravens' offense as a rookie with his breakaway speed during the second half of last season. In eight games, Mitchell was a home run threat whenever he reached the second level, averaging 8.4 yards per carry and with two touchdowns.
Whenever he returns, he will add another explosive element to a deep running back room that includes Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and fifth-round draft pick Rasheen Ali. Mitchell watched Wednesday's OTA practice from the sideline and Harbaugh is pleased with how the rehab is going.
"It's not a come back during training camp or first game type of thing," Harbaugh said. "I think we all know that. It's sometime during the season. It's not like right around the corner. We shouldn't be biting our fingernails, [wondering] is he going to get back.
"But I will say he's on schedule, maybe ahead of schedule. He's doing really well. He's always got a smile on his face. He's going to start jogging on the Alter-G (treadmill) next week. So that's a positive thing and we'll see where it goes."
Zay Flowers Still Thinks About AFC Championship, Is Moving On
Zay Flowers was honest when asked to reflect on last year's 17-10 AFC Championship loss to Kansas City that denied Baltimore a trip to the Super Bowl. Flowers' fourth quarter lost fumble at the goal line was one of the game's most critical plays.
"Honestly, I still [haven't] gotten over it," Flowers said. "I still think about it, but I know next year we have a chance to get back there and try to make it to the Super Bowl. That's why I'm working hard every day and going hard every day to get back to that moment."
Flowers set a franchise rookie records with 77 catches and 858 yards and added five touchdowns. He wants to have a positive impact on fourth-round pick Devontez Walker and other receivers, taking his lead from Odell Beckham Jr., who mentored Flowers as a rookie before signing with the Miami Dolphins this offseason.
"He had so much experience, he knew how the process was going to play out," Flowers said. "Now, I can just figure out my own way, take my own path and kind of do my own thing and make my own career my own way."
Harbaugh Says 'We'll See' After Visit With Jamal Adams
Harbaugh said three-time Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams and the Ravens did not reach agreement after his visit with Baltimore on Tuesday. However, Harbaugh didn't close the door on Adams joining the Ravens.
Adams and Harbaugh built a rapport while participating in the 2019 Pro Bowl and had fun reconnecting on Tuesday.
"He and I rode the bus back and forth every day for whatever reason," Harbaugh said. "We got be pals. We had a fun time and carried that relationship forward. ... He met with me in my office [during the visit]. I'm very impressed – very impressed with his mindset, and we'll see what happens."
The 28-year-old Adams was the No. 6-overall pick in 2017 and was one of the league's top safeties during his first three seasons. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 in a blockbuster deal that included two first-round picks to the Jets. Adams signed a four-year deal that made him the league's highest-paid safety at the time, but he has struggled with injuries with a torn labrum in 2021, a torn quad in 2022, and a concussion that limited him to five games last season before the Seahawks released him in March.
Kyle Hamilton on Challenge of Playing Three Games During 10-Day December Stretch
All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton made his reaction known on social media after Baltimore was scheduled for three games over 10 days during a challenging December stretch.
The Ravens play at the Giants (Dec. 15), vs. Pittsburgh (Dec. 21) and at Houston on Christmas (Dec. 25). Hamilton has had more time to reflect and believes the Ravens will handle that challenge.
We're not the only people doing that, and it's another obstacle in the way that we just have to overcome, and I think we have the right people to do that," Hamilton said.
With the Ravens being an attractive team for primetime as a Super Bowl team led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, Hamilton said scheduling quirks are something they need to deal with. The Ravens are playing on five different days of the week (ever day but Tuesday and Friday).
"I think you've got to be a tough guy to play in this league, and everybody will adjust accordingly, and I'm sure 10 years from now, that might be the norm," Hamilton said. "I feel like they were probably doing the same thing when they introduced Thursday games – stuff like that – Monday games. [They] probably had that same conversation, [and] now it's the norm. So, maybe we're just at the beginning stages of that.
"It starts now. It starts with just your mental and physical stability and capacity in the situation, but I think it's going to be a challenge, for sure."
