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Latavius Murray was signed to help fill the JK Dobbins-sized hole in the Ravens' backfield. But to help take some pressure off of Lamar Jackson, the running back needs to be on the field.
While Jackson has been cleared to play, the interim starting running back's availability is not quite so clear cut. Here's a look at whether Latavius Murray will play against the Dolphins in Thursday Night Football.
Will Latavius Murray play on Thursday Night Football?
According to CBS Sports, Murray is dealing with an ankle injury. The journeyman rusher missed practice on Tuesday and is listed as questionable for Thursday's contest.
In a short week, the odds of a recovery seem to be shrinking by the hour. Barring a miracle or any unforeseen changes, Murray is trending towards missing the game.
Considering the opponent, the Ravens may possibly error on the side of caution and keep Murray out for the game. This week, the Ravens are facing a sleepwalking 2-7 Miami Dolphins team.
The Dolphins currently have the 30th-ranked defense in the National Football League and are already counting the days until the next NFL Draft.
The Ravens look to improve their record for top billing in the AFC
Unless the Ravens fall into this as a trap-game, the team should be able to take care of business. With a win over the Dolphins, the Ravens would jump to 7-2 and the Dolphins would fall to 2-8.
With a 2-8 record, the best the Dolphins can do would be to win all of their remaining games to end with a 9-8 final record. Meanwhile, for the Ravens, a 7-2 record would mean the worst they could do would be to end up with a 7-10 record.
This could only happen if the Ravens were to lose out. As a 6-2 or 7-2 team, this seems unlikely.
While the Ravens should be able to coast without Latavius Murray this week, they will eventually need him if they are to reach a new heights in 2021. One would hope that Murray will be able to return fully healthy after the mini-bye (additional time after a Thursday night game)
The extra recovery time could pay dividends for the running back as the season reaches a new gear. However, to get the extra time off, he will need to stay out of Thursday's game.
Will Murray be available for tonight? Stay tuned to find out.
