NFL Rumors: Browns, Packers, Ravens Among Teams in RB Trade Market Before Deadline

The Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers are reportedly in the market for a running back ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

Speaking Sunday on Fox (starting at the 2:45 mark), NFL insider Jay Glazer named the Ravens, Browns and Packers as teams looking to potentially add some backfield help:

Glazer also reported that the Tennessee Titans told running back Derrick Henry they don't intend to trade him, and added that New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley's $10.091 million contract for this season before becoming a free agent during the offseason could make him difficult to move.

The Ravens' and Browns' reported desire for a running back comes as little surprise since both teams lost their starters to season-ending injuries.

In Week 1, Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles after rushing eight times for 22 yards and a touchdown. That came just two years after a torn ACL cost Dobbins the entire 2021 season.

During Dobbins' absence, the Ravens have mostly leaned on Gus Edwards as their starting running back with Justice Hill also playing a significant role.

Edwards his a bruiser who has rushed for 346 yards and two touchdowns this season, but he is averaging a career-low 4.0 yards per carry after averaging 5.0 yards per carry or better in each of his first four seasons.

At 5-2 entering play Sunday, the Ravens lead the AFC North, and they are getting MVP-caliber play out of quarterback Lamar Jackson, so adding another piece on offense would make perfect sense.

Few teams have leaned more heavily on their running game in recent years than the Browns, which is why Nick Chubb earned four consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2019 through 2022.

Chubb rushed for a career-high 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, but in only Cleveland's second game of 2023, he was lost for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.

Jerome Ford, a 2022 fifth-round pick, has been the Browns' top rusher during Chubb's absence, rushing for 344 yards and two touchdowns, and catching 14 passes for 104 yards and two scores.

The Browns also brought back veteran free-agent running back Kareem Hunt, and he has put up 149 total yards and three touchdowns in four games.

On Sunday, quarterback Deshaun Watson was set to miss his third game of the season with a shoulder injury. Even when healthy this season, Watson has largely struggled, throwing just four touchdowns and three interceptions in four games.

The 4-2 Browns lead the NFL in total defense with just 243 yards allowed per game, and it would behoove them to have a true RB1 who they can lean on in order to keep the defense fresh.

Green Bay was thought to have a great running back tandem entering the season with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, but they have not been anywhere near as productive as hoped.

Jones has missed three games due to injury, and in the three games he has played, he has rushed just 22 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, while catching six passes for 104 yards and a score.

Since Week 1, he has just 71 total yards from scrimmage and has not scored a touchdown.

Dillon has typically been a hard-to-tackle bruiser during his career, but he entered Sunday averaging a mere 3.2 yards per carry this season.

Prior to the season when Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor asked for a trade, ESPN's Stephen Holder reported that the Packers had interest in Taylor.

Indy ended up signing Taylor to a contract extension, but the Packers' interest suggested they wanted to upgrade the running back position even before watching Jones and Dillon struggle.

With a first-year starting quarterback in Jordan Love under center, the Green Bay offense could benefit greatly from more consistency in the running game.