NFL RB Rankings: Ravens' Gus Edwards Underappreciated?
The Baltimore Ravens' running game was again in the upper echelon of units in the NFL this season as they had a host of players to rotate through there - most notably Gus Edwards.
Part of a group that included Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell (until his injury), and Melvin Gordon. The Ravens relied on their run game under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken and it was superb - leading the league with 156.5 yards per game.
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But when assessing all the starting running backs based on their season output, NFL.com had Edwards ranked 20th.
"Edwards, a free agent this offseason, provided the Ravens’ rushing attack with a physical, downhill runner, while Lamar Jackson dizzied defenders with his elusive rushing ability and Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill operated as change-of-pace guys more than capable of ripping off the big one," NFL.com writes. Edwards' 13 rushing touchdowns this season led Baltimore and tied for fifth in the NFL."
Edwards' season stats for the year don't jump off the page as his 810 yards from 198 attempts (both career highs) means he only averaged 47.6 yards per game, but being part of a "running back by committee" can make it hard to get big numbers.
Nevertheless, Edwards still managed to rush for 13 touchdowns (career high) as he had a five-game stretch from Week 7 to Week 11 where he rushed for at least one touchdown (managed nine in that span).
He then had back-to-back games without finding the endzone and then ripped off a three-game streak where he rushed for a touchdown.
With Edwards one of 23 free agents the Ravens have to give serious consideration to and his market value set at $3.6 million APY per spotrac.com, will he be a Raven in 2024?
His production suggests so as 13 rushing touchdowns is a superb effort and with Mitchell still recovering from his ACL injury and likely won't be back until at least midseason depending on his recovery, there is a spot for Edwards moving forward.
He was the 20th-ranked running back in 2023, and with another year on Monken's offense led by two-time MVP winner Lamar Jackson, maybe Edwards will be higher on that list come this time next year.
