The NFL rushing attack is about to get stronger.

Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell returned to practice on Wednesday in Owings Mills. This marked his first time practicing since suffering an ACL injury in mid-December last season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Baltimore has 21 days to add him to the roster from the physically unable to perform list or the second-year player will return to season-ending injured reserve.

Mitchell, who last season shocked the Ravens’ rushing attack with his breakaway speed, joins a backfield that already includes the league’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry (873 yards, eight touchdowns) and versatile veteran Justice Hill, who recently signed by Baltimore contract extension.

However, it remains to be seen whether the 5-foot-9, 181-pound speedster wearing a brace on his surgically repaired left knee has the same explosive power he showed during his rookie year as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina.

Mitchell, who rushed for 396 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries and caught nine passes for 93 yards in eight games last season, tore three ligaments and cartilage in what was described as a “bad” injury. However, there was no nerve damage or other complications, and five weeks ago Mitchell posted on X that he had reached speeds of more than 20 mph while exercising.

It was initially believed he would not be able to train until early December, but his return on Wednesday signaled a potential return in mid-November.

From Weeks 9 through 16 last season Mitchell, who is the son of former Ravens defensive back Anthony Mitchell, was one of the fastest and best defenders in the NFL. His 8.4 yards per carry and 5.9 yards after contact led the league, and he was third in broken tackle percentage and fourth in yards before contact (2.9) during that span.

Mitchell’s top speed of 20.99 mph, according to Next Gen Stats, was the fastest of any Ravens running back last season.

But this year, he has plenty of competition for Henry’s carries at an average of 6.5 yards per attempt. In Monday night’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 30-year-old rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries, marking the fourth time he’s reached the century mark in the last five games, and he reached a top speed of 21.72 mph in one game. Run for 81 yards in the fourth quarter.

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As a result, the Ravens have racked up the most yards in the league during their five-game winning streak, where they are averaging 35 points and 479 yards per game after totaling 508 yards on Monday night.

Baltimore’s 244 rushing yards against Tampa Bay also made them the fourth team since 1980 to have at least 1,400 rushing yards through seven games.

Mitchell wasn’t the only player returning Wednesday for the first practice of the week ahead of Sunday’s game against the Browns in Cleveland.

Cornerbacks Arthur Maulet (hamstring-knee) and Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) are back, although both were limited in afternoon walk-through drills, according to the injury report. Armour-Davis also has 21 days to be added to the roster after coming off injured reserve.

But several others are missing.