Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon suspended for four games
The Baltimore Ravens 2016 fourth round pick Kenneth Dixon has had a rocky start to his NFL career
When the Ravens showed interest in Danny Woodhead in free agency, many questioned what effect it would have on the role of Kenneth Dixon.
However, it now appears as though there was a good reason for the Ravens to look to upgrade at running back. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Kenneth Dixon will be suspended for the first four games of the 2017 NFL season for breaking the league’s substance abuse policy.
RB Kenneth DIxon suspended first four games of 2017 for violating NFL policy on PEDs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017
When the Ravens drafted Dixon many around the league had thought that they had yet again found middle round value. Dixon was highly regarded, and Ravens were supposed to have found their starting running back moving forward. However, Dixon has done anything but live up to the expectations.
To start last season, he sprained his MCL and missed the first four games. By that point, Terrance West had a decent handle on the running back job, and it was on Dixon to earn a role. It took him a while to get acclimated, and even when he did, it was in a minor usage role.
Dixon flashed at times but struggled to pass block, which kept him on the sidelines for the majority of the season. He finished his rookie year with just 382 rushing yards and two touchdowns to go with 162 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air.
As he entered year two, many pegged him as a sleeper and a breakout candidate as he learned the nuances of being an NFL running back. Now, his season is off to yet another rocky start. With Woodhead now in the mix, there is yet another challenge in the way of Dixon. Missing so much time, as well as being in the dog house could easily leave Dixon lost in the shuffle in Baltimore.