Kenneth Dixon knee surgery

[JimZipCode]

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/...a-1a2a40d97d66

Zrebiec reports Dixon tore his meniscus while training, which usually takes 6-8 weeks for recovery, but the Ravens won’t know for sure until after he has surgery today.

Dixon has dealt with knee injuries in the past. He missed the first four games of the season last year after suffering a knee injury in the third preseason game. Prior to the injury, there was chatter that the rookie could start, but Terrance West beat veteran Justin Forsett for the job early in the season and never looked back.

As Zrebiec said, the seriousness of Dixon’s knee is unknown, but he has more than two months before he can play due to his four-game suspension.

Torn meniscus not that significant, on the scale of knee surgeries. But obviously it's not good news either. With the suspension, he wasn't available anyway during the team he's supposed to be out. But even if it's the most minor knee surgery, it still seriously impacts his ability to participate in training camp, and build the skills he will need for the season.

This is a player I have had very high expectations for. Bummer.

[The Fanatic]

I think perhaps covering thy ass with a contingency plan/body might be in order here.

[JimZipCode]

Like a Bobby Rainey, for example.

[Ravenswintitle]

Allegedly they were going to sign Rainey before the injury. Which tells me they may not be done; still don't have a bruiser

[Gatorman82]

Allegedly they were going to sign Rainey before the injury. Which tells me they may not be done; still don't have a bruiser

Taliaferro is the bruiser. That's West's style, too.

[bravens23]

Taliaferro is the bruiser. That's West's style, too.

Taliaferro is also working out more at Fullback and in my opinion is still a longshot to make this roster as an actual between the tackles runner.

I think this sets back Dixon's contribution until at least the second half of the season, and I'd say its possible he's just not a significant contributor to this team this year. And if he doesn't contribute much, I fully expect the FO to take a good, long look at bellcow-type ball carries early in next years draft.

West should handle primary ball carrier duties, with Woodhead getting maybe a handful of carries a game and handling what I'm sure will be a ton of pass catching work.

I agree with Goode and others... there's been very little by way of personnel changes I've seen this offseason to indicate this team is going to be any more committed to running the ball as they have been the last few seasons.

[Gatorman82]

Taliaferro is also working out more at Fullback and in my opinion is still a longshot to make this roster as an actual between the tackles runner.

I think this sets back Dixon's contribution until at least the second half of the season, and I'd say its possible he's just not a significant contributor to this team this year. And if he doesn't contribute much, I fully expect the FO to take a good, long look at bellcow-type ball carries early in next years draft.

West should handle primary ball carrier duties, with Woodhead getting maybe a handful of carries a game and handling what I'm sure will be a ton of pass catching work.

I agree with Goode and others... there's been very little by way of personnel changes I've seen this offseason to indicate this team is going to be any more committed to running the ball as they have been the last few seasons.

From what I'm reading, there are two reasons that the Ravens are happy with the RBs they have:

1. According to PFF, Dixon was the #3 rated rookie RB in the NFL last year. You can bet the Ravens are anxious to see what he can do with a year's experience behind him. I'm betting he ends up getting most of the carries by the end of the season.
2. Both Dixon and West had good yards after contact last year. Much better than the Ravens have had in previous years.

I think it's a bit unreasonable to assume the Ravens would acquire someone like Maclin and then also go get a top running back. Especially when the backs they had are looking good.

As far as Taliaferro is concerned, I'm betting he makes the team because he has proved he can run the ball well and catch out of the backfield. The only thing that will prevent him from making the team is if he can't block well enough.

[bravens23]

From what I'm reading, there are two reasons that the Ravens are happy with the RBs they have:

1. According to PFF, Dixon was the #3 rated rookie RB in the NFL last year. You can bet the Ravens are anxious to see what he can do with a year's experience behind him. I'm betting he ends up getting most of the carries by the end of the season.
2. Both Dixon and West had good yards after contact last year. Much better than the Ravens have had in previous years.

I think it's a bit unreasonable to assume the Ravens would acquire someone like Maclin and then also go get a top running back. Especially when the backs they had are looking good.

As far as Taliaferro is concerned, I'm betting he makes the team because he has proved he can run the ball well and catch out of the backfield. The only thing that will prevent him from making the team is if he can't block well enough.

1. I'm sure they are. Except he won't have a years experience behind him. Perhaps after THIS SEASON, he will have actually played 16 games. He basically missed half of last season, and will likely miss a good chunk of this one as well.

I'm not even suggesting he's not a talented player. He very may might be. But there's a lot of talented guys who's injuries or suspensions keep them from making it in this league, and if he's not a major contributor this season, you're looking at 50% of his rookie contract being shot.

2. West is also a FA going into 2018, so you have no idea if he will even return. If he has a great season, then you have to pay more than what you paid this year to keep him and give him so guaranteed money. If he doesn't, then we're putting our faith in Dixon as our primary runner. Kind of risky based on what I've seen so far.

3. I didn't say I expected both to happen, though I will say that using a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a RB wouldn't have altered our decision to sign Jeremy Maclin. If we had signed somebody like Murray or Peterson, then yes, signing Maclin likely is off the table. But drafting another fresh set of legs early wouldn't have changed that.

But mostly, what signing Maclin indicates to me is that this team isn't expecting to run the ball 450 times like they did in 2014. If you were actually committed to running the ball in the current season, and wanted to guarantee that you did it, you probably invest in Rick Wagner instead of Brandon Williams, and you probably go buy yourself a Center instead of buying Jeremy Maclin.

I'm not even saying I would have done those things, because I probably wouldn't. But its a really, really, really tough sell (bordering on impossible sell) that you're now highly committed to the run game, when you let an All-Pro level RT walk, you cut your Center, and replace neither until training camp with anything other than guys who were already on the roster and haven't shown much. And then the only RB you sign is a pass catching RB and then go sign a possession receiver.

I mean at this point, they can say whatever they want. You can bring in Greg Roman and say "yeah we're going to run the ball a lot more", but from a personnel and scheme standpoint, I just don't see it. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but I doubt it.

And I think they'll even try it. I think they'll come out in a lot of games and try to establish the run. And we will plodder along at somewhere around 3.5-4 YPC and tote it 10-15 times, and we'll figure out our offense isn't doing much with that, and we'll get away from it.

As for Taliaferro, he's barely played in 2 years, and I didn't think he was much better of a short yardage, power back than Forsett was when I watched them both play in 2014. If he makes the team, its as a blocker, and I'd take the under on about 50 touches for the season. Only way I see him getting north of that is as a FB role like Juice, or if there's more injuries at RB and he's the only left standing.

[wickedsolo]

Allegedly they were going to sign Rainey before the injury. Which tells me they may not be done; still don't have a bruiser

I dont know. I think West is a pretty physical back.

[Iscull]

That woodhead signing is proving to be an even better move now. Good work Oz and Co.

[Goode05]

That woodhead signing is proving to be an even better move now. Good work Oz and Co.

Woodhead isn't banging up through the tackles more then a handful of times. He's here to catch balls out of the backfield


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[Goode05]

Just goes to show all this run first power running football talk is nonsense. It's going to be a pass first offense.


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