OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With so much of the attention focused on Lamar Jackson missing the initial chunk of training camp due to a positive COVID-19 test, it’s easy to forget so too did one of the men he hands the ball to: Gus Edwards.
While speaking after practice on Tuesday, Edwards said he was symptomatic during his ten days on the COVID list.
"I had three days that were real tough. But, I think I did pretty well."
Edwards now has four practices under his belt and looks up to speed even with so much time missed.
"It wasn’t too bad. I was able to train a couple times and I just tried to stay as much in tune as I could not being in the building," he said.
The 26-year-old is entering his fourth NFL season. He’s fresh off signing a two-year contract extension over the offseason.
"It’s about being consistent now. If anything it puts a lot more pressure on me. I got to prove myself."
Consistency for Edwards will be a good thing for the Ravens. He has rushed for over 700 yards in each of his first three years in the league, averaging over 5 yards per carry. He scored a career-high six touchdowns in 2020. The duo of Edwards and second-year running back J.K. Dobbins has Ravens run game expectations once again through the roof. Coaches don’t view the tandem as 1A-1B.
"Right now I see it as a 1-A-A," said Ravens running backs coach Craig Ver Steeg. "It’s like we got tool boxes with Swiss army knives and hammers. No nails. We got no nails in our tool box. We got different types of knives. We are going to use them."
Call Edwards a big fan of the improvements Dobbins has made following a full offseason. He said he is looking forward to another year as part of the Ravens' 1-2 punch.
"I'm excited for it - just seeing how much better he got, how much more comfortable he is in the system and all the things that he brings in. He brings out the best in me."
Injury notes from Tuesday include more bad news for the receiving group. Rookie Rashod Bateman limped off the field at the start of team drills and did not return. Wideouts Marquise Brown (hamstring), Miles Boykin (hamstring) and Deon Cain were all kept off the field.
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