Baltimore Ravens RB Justice Hill: Ravens Need Big Season From RB2

With Derrick Henry at the age where every running back hits the wall, the Ravens third-down back stands to see perhaps a bigger role than ever

Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Ravens are going to have to be careful with star running back Derrick Henry entering his age 32 season.

Expecting him to run the ball anything close to 300 times for a third straight season would be silly. As much of a unicorn as he’s been, projecting him to crush over five yards per carry again would be ridiculous. We have 55 years of running back data that tell us this will not be the case.

One could make the assumption, based on the current depth chart, that the Ravens should be leaning into another veteran presence to fill out their running back room , because with Justice Hill at age 29 and coming off another season in which injuries were a factor, the amount of volume they are going to require from their reserve running backs will be unlike anything we’ve seen since Henry came on board.

Hill's Skillset Stand Out Even More Now

It stands to reason that rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is going to be throwing far more on first down than the Ravens have done previously with Lamar Jackson at quarterback and that could mean more Hill, who is unquestionably their best pass protector. Oh, and the offensive line might be courting disaster again, and certainly could use an upgrade, which means perhaps more Hill to help out as well.

And we believe the Ravens will utilize a faster pace and Doyle is on record about changing their cadence, and if they go with more two-minute looks in non-traditional situations, well, you guessed it, that points to more Hill as well. And, in case you missed it, former explosive speed back Keaton Mitchell, who was chipping into Hill’s role in the screen game, went to the Chargers as a free agent.

Have you gotten the distinct impression that Hill might matter more than ever to this new offense, because they also don’t employ a fullback anymore and to this point haven’t brought in a “joker” hybrid RB/TE/FB that Sean Payton offenses have prized (as Doyle studied under him)?

Youngster Rasheen Ali emerged as a preferred kickoff returner a year ago and Hill was asked to do it just seven times himself. How Ali is valued by this new staff – and how much he is trusted from a blocking standpoint – can’t be determined until much later in the summer.

Right now, despite some of his health issues in the past, Hill seems primed for a legitimate workload in this offense, and it begs questions about future waiver claims or roster moves at running back as well.

Subscribe On YouTube For The Best Ravens Coverage: