Terrance West is back where he felt like he always belonged, and now he's ready to take the field.
The Baltimore native signed with the Ravens two weeks ago to initially join the practice squad, and quickly moved up to the 53-man roster. With starting running back Justin Forsett lost for the season because of a broken arm, West is set to make his Ravens debut Monday night in Cleveland.
"I'm hungry," West said. "Just getting this opportunity, I'm very hungry, and this Monday you'll see."
West was inactive Sunday against the Rams, but Head Coach John Harbaugh said he'll play this week. He will likely be the No. 2 back behind rookie Buck Allen, and the first game as a Raven couldn't come at a better time.
The Ravens will square off against the Browns, the team that traded up to get West in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Browns gave him a chance to start as a rookie, but ultimately didn't feel like he was a good fit and traded him to Tennessee before the start of this season. The Titans eventually cut West, allowing him to sign with the Ravens.
West insists that facing his old team doesn't carry any more weight.
"We could have been playing against anybody this week," he said. "I would have had the same feeling."
West's departure from Cleveland wasn't exactly a happy ending. Cleveland opted to part ways with him even after a solid rookie campaign where he started six games, rushed for 673 yards and scored five touchdowns.
"Some of it was maturity issues with Terrance, just the accountability, the day-to-day practice habits and being a pro," Browns Head Coach Mike Pettine said about why West didn't work out in Cleveland. "It was unfortunate because Terrance is a likable guy, but we just felt at the time that it was in both of our best interest to move on."
Talent has never been much of a question for the former Towson star who scored 84 touchdowns in college. The question for him since arriving in Baltimore was how he would adjust to his third NFL team and how quickly he would grasp the offense.
West said he's "very comfortable" with the system, and the Ravens like what they see on the practice field.
"He has practiced well for us since he has been here and is learning the offense," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "He doesn't have it all probably 100 percent down right now, but he's working hard at it. We've been impressed with what we've seen so far."
West has passed the practice test, and now has a chance to show he's ready for game action. Injuries have pushed him into the rotation quicker than expected, but West is thrilled to get another opportunity.
"This league is all about the next man up," West said. "You just have to perform when your number is called."
