Baltimore Ravens release Le'Veon Bell after 5 games and 31 carries

The Baltimore Ravens are releasing Le'Veon Bell after signing him in September, as running back Devonta Freeman has emerged as top tailback.

The Baltimore Ravens have made the decision to release former All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell, as announced by the tailback himself on Twitter. Bell, who is 29 years old, joined the team in early September and played in five games after initially being added to the practice squad. During the Ravens' Week 10 loss to Miami, Bell managed to pick up just 1 yard on three carries. His best performance in 2021 came in Week 9 when he rushed for 48 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown.

Throughout his time with Baltimore, Bell only gained 83 rushing yards on 31 carries and scored two touchdowns. The Ravens had signed Bell, along with Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray, at the same time when JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards suffered season-ending injuries. However, Freeman has emerged as the team's top tailback in recent weeks.

According to Ravens beat writer Jeff Zrebiec, Bell played hard, was a good teammate, and embraced a part-time role. However, it seemed that he didn't have much left in the tank, and his deliberate running style didn't quite fit with the Ravens' downhill running attack. The team has faced struggles up front, and the holes for the running backs haven't been as big as they were in the past. This has required the backs to make something out of nothing at times, and Bell wasn't exhibiting the quickness and elusiveness needed for this.

Zrebiec also mentioned that while the Ravens are currently tied with the Cleveland Browns for the most rushing yards per game and are fifth in yards per carry, they haven't been running the ball consistently well. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has been doing most of the heavy lifting, and the running backs have been inconsistent at best. The lack of explosiveness from the group has been a factor, especially considering the loss of the top three running backs before the season opener.