Already suspended for the first four games of the 2017 season, Baltimore Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon will now have to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee.
Depending on the severity of the tear, the standard timeline for return from a meniscus injury is 6-to-8 weeks. This would put Dixon in line to return while he’s under suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Even then, it’s a major blow for a Ravens team that wanted to get a solid look at the second-year running back during camp and the preseason.
A fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech last year, Dixon put up 544 total yards and averaged a decent 4.3 yards per rush. Prior to being suspended, he was definitely prepared to vie for the starting job with Terrance West. With this injury, that can pretty much be thrown out the window completely.
With Dixon sidelined, look for West and free agent acquisition Danny Woodhead to top Baltimore’s depth chart at running back. And while the injury won’t impact Dixon’s return from suspension during the season, it’s a major blow for his ability to make an impact in 2017.