After rushing for just 31 yards with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013 and struggling to find another opportunity, Justin Forsett seized a starting job with the Baltimore Ravens and rushed his way to the Pro Bowl.
Forsett didn’t find the same success a year ago as the Ravens struggled. A broken arm eventually ended his season in November.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has been encouraged by what he’s seen of Forsett so far in training camp and sees similarities to the back that rushed for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013.
“Justin is quietly having an excellent camp,” Harbaugh said Monday, via the team’s website. “He looks to me like he did two years ago.”
While Forsett is now 30 years old - the proverbial end point for the careers of running backs - he doesn’t have nearly the mileage of other aging rushers. He has just 733 total carries in eight years in the NFL. Though he had a role as a rotational player with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009-10, he received just 115 carries over the ensuing three seasons split between Seattle, Houston and Jacksonville.
“I see the same running back we had two years ago, in terms of his speed, his explosiveness, his vision,” Harbaugh said. “He really looks good. I know there’s a lot of talk about the other guys, but he’s playing really well.”
Forsett is in competition with several backs on Baltimore’s roster in camp. Buck Allen, Terrence West and rookie Kenneth Dixon. In addition, Lorenzo Taliaferro remains on the PUP list.