The Baltimore Ravens didn’t lift a finger to bring back versatile running back Keaton Mitchell, which might have been just getting lost in the wash with a new coaching staff trying to find its footing, or it may have been super intentional.
Either way, the Ravens might come to regret it.
Mitchell signed a 2-year, $9.25 million free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers on March 12 after the Ravens declined to pick up a free-agent tender that would have paid him $3.25 million in 2026.
The Chargers, to put it lightly, are psyched to have him.
“He’s a matchup issue for every defense,” Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday. “I think he has a lot of pass-game value that he hasn’t been able to really represent in his career, but it’s showing so far in camp.”
Mitchell has been a high-value backup for NFL All-Pro Derrick Henry on the Ravens the last 2 seasons — something he’ll be called upon to do for 2nd-year running back Omarion Hampton on the Chargers.
Keaton Mitchell ‘Shocked’ by Ravens Snub
Mitchell’s story of winding up with the Chargers in free agency in March after playing his 1st 3 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens was remarkably relatable for a big-time pro athlete.
After the 2025 season, Mitchell returned to his home state of Georgia to train and wait for his agent to tell him the Ravens were picking up his free-agent tender for 2026.
The call never came.
“Shocked, actually,” Mitchell said when asked about his reaction to the snub. “I called my agent and was like ‘What’s the word?’ and he said there was nothing yet. I’m thinking (the Ravens) are going to tender me, so I need to be in Baltimore to extend my lease, so I go up there, and it snowed right away. Which meant I had to shovel my car out of the snow for the 1st time. So I was gonna buy a truck because I’m not (shoveling snow) ever again.
“For some reason, I didn’t extend my lease and just thought I would stay in Baltimore, work out, be patient … then it’s like an hour before the deadline, and I start to realize I might be a free agent then right at the deadline, my agent called and said, ‘They didn’t tender you, you’re gonna be a free agent. So I was like dang …”
According to Mitchell, he got a call from the Chargers “20 seconds later” and signed shortly after.
Keaton Mitchell Seemed Like No-Brainer for Ravens
At that price point especially, it was a shock the Ravens invested as much time as they did in Mitchell only to let him walk out the door in free agency at the 1st opportunity.
Mitchell had 995 all-purpose yards in 2025 for the Ravens and has 1,698 all-purpose yards and 3 touchdowns over his 1st 3 seasons after going undrafted out of East Carolina in 2023. He’s been a perfect change-of-pace back behind NFL All-Pro Derrick Henry, while also serving as an elite return specialist.
The Chargers made a point of giving Mitchell a considerable raise — and paying him well above his projected market value.
“Mitchell had a projected market value of about $1.52M per year — and Los Angeles pays well above that to bring him in,” Darts 2 Leek wrote on their official X account.
Much of the positive feedback about Mitchell signing with the Chargers centered around how he might be used in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s offense.
“Keaton Mitchell leaves the Ravens and becomes a player for the Los Angeles Chargers,” Ravens reporter Corvao wrote on X. “A player with a lot of potential, but who was underutilized on the Ravens. In (Mike) McDaniel’s hands, he’s going to be a handful.”
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