Ravens running back Justin Forsett confirmed what we've seen coming for about a week now: He is no longer part of the plan in Baltimore.
"Baltimore will always have a special place in my heart. Love y'all & thank u for the amazing support over the years," Forsett tweeted on Tuesday morning, which served as a precursor to his official release. The Ravens have not yet made the move official, but did publish quotes on their website from Forsett confirming his release.
The running back told the team's official site that it was a mutual breakup.
"I felt like my opportunity here was closing," he said. "I'm at a phase in my career where I don't want to sit; I want to play. I have a lot of football left in me."
Forsett's workload dropped from 14 carries in Week 2 to seven the following week. In a loss to the Oakland Raiders this past weekend, he was inactive as Terrance West continued to gobble up a bigger opportunity in the offense. Against Oakland, West went for 113 yards and a touchdown.
As the Ravens anxiously await the arrival of rookie Kenneth Dixon, who has yet to take the field thanks to a knee injury toward the end of the preseason, they decided they no longer had the roster space and resources to devote to Forsett, a 30-year-old who emerged from obscurity to pace Baltimore's offense back in 2014.
The team will not forget his push for a roster spot, nor will they forget the Pro Bowl season he handed them two years ago. But as the Ravens try to keep pace in a bustling AFC North, they know they must get younger and stronger quickly. Forsett also realizes that he doesn't have much time to sit around and wait.
