The 2021 season hasn't even started, and the Baltimore Ravens are already in the midst of a devastating injury situation.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that trailing cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Gus Edwards had torn ACLs and would both miss the season. According to Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, both were injured during back-to-back plays at Thursday's practice.
The Ravens cut practice after the key players went down and later officially listed Edwards and Peters as limited participants.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that later on Thursday, the Ravens signed longtime former Falcons, driving Devonta Freeman back into the practice squad. The team had already signed Levon Bell to the practice squad earlier in the week. Bell and Freeman had previously worked for the team. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that the team is also working on finalizing a deal to drive back Latvius Murray.
JK Dobbins suffered a season-ending knee injury in the team's final pre-season game. Earlier this week Justice Hill tore his Achilles.
With Edwards also leaving for the season, the Ravens' backfield is looking like a question mark. 2020 left-back Tyson Williams, whom the club furious about as Edwards' backup following an injury to Dobbins, will now line up for a bigger role in Week 1 against the Raiders.
Baltimore also signed Trenton Cannon the fourth year before -- 48 career 146 yards and a TD -- carried to the active roster.
The big name to watch for the Ravens will be Bell. Prior to Edwards' injury, coach John Harbaugh said earlier in the day that Bell could be activated from Monday night's practice team against the Las Vegas Raiders. Given Thursday's injury, that prospect grows exponentially.
Bell appeared in 11 games for the Jets and Chiefs last season, taking 82 carries for 328 yards and two scores. The 29-year-old insists that he still has juice left in him despite not showing off in 2020. The door in Baltimore could have just been open for Bell to prove the suspects wrong.
Freeman played five games for the Giants last season, rushing for 172 yards on 54 carries.
Peters' injury is also a big hit to the high-powered Ravens defense, which counts on the ballhawk to help build turnover. Baltimore is well stocked in the corner, but losing Peters affects its opening depth and pushes 33-year-old Jimmy Smith into a more than spot-duty backup role.