The Ravens are running out of room for caution, and that’s why Adam Randall suddenly feels like a name worth pushing to the front of the line.
At 4-5, Baltimore needs answers wherever it can find them. The offense has gone stale on the ground, the passing game has been even shakier, and the line keeps forcing quarterbacks into hurried throws. Randall, a rookie who has yet to make his NFL debut, could offer something different in all of those areas.
He’s still on injured reserve with a neck injury, but Baltimore designated him to return on October 28, opening his 21-day practice window. That window closes November 18, which means he has to be activated for Week 10, or shortly after. If not, the Ravens would have to move him to season-ending IR.
The good news is that Randall appears close. Since returning to practice ahead of Week 8, he has put together six straight full participations. He’s still being ramped up, and these are his first reps since preseason, but he’s clearly nearing the point where Baltimore has to decide whether to see what he can do.
And there’s a case for rolling the dice.
The Ravens’ rushing attack has lacked pop, even with Justice Hill breaking loose for a big play in the Week 9 loss and Derrick Henry looking better. Randall brings a different kind of jolt.
At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he has the size to hammer through contact, fall forward, and create the kind of extra yards this offense has been missing. He also has home-run ability, which is not something you can coach into a back.
Baltimore doesn’t need to hand him the keys. Henry and Hill should still be the main options. But Randall ought to get a handful of carries just to see what he can add.
His value might be even bigger as a receiver.
Randall is a former wideout, and that background shows up in the way he moves. He can catch the ball, work in space, and do damage after the catch.
In his 2025 season at Clemson, after switching to running back, he still caught 36 passes for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns. Hill is dependable as a pass catcher, but Randall brings a more natural feel for it.
That matters for a Baltimore offense that needs easy answers. His route running out of the backfield could create mismatches against linebackers and give Jacoby Brissett another outlet when the pocket tightens and the play has to come out fast.
Randall could help on special teams, too. The Ravens have gotten almost nothing from the kick return unit this season.
Rasheen Ali has shown some life over the last two weeks, including a 58-yard return against the Buffalo Bills and a 30.3-yard average per return on Thursday night, but the inconsistency is still there. If Ali can’t sustain it, Randall should be in the conversation.
With the season hanging by a thread, Baltimore may not have much to lose by finding out what Randall can do. Maybe that chance comes Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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For a team that prizes depth and versatility, moving a player like Hill would create more questions than answers. He is under contract for one more year, and while he is not built to carry an offense as a featured back, the Ravens have relied on him as a reliable piece in multiple phases of the game. If Baltimore is serious about staying balanced and prepared for the stretch run, this is the sort of roster decision that could quietly matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
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Youngs performance stood out because Baltimore needed someone on that edge to hold up once the game started slipping away, and he handled that assignment with encouraging poise. The Ravens are still sorting through the fallout from the injuries and the lopsided result, but Youngs emergence gives the coaching staff something tangible to think about as it looks for answers on a defense that has to keep carrying the load. [Read more 🡒]