The connections between the Baltimore Ravens and RB Derrick Henry are obvious—for one thing, they explored trading for him. They didn’t get the deal done at the deadline in 2023, but now Henry is a free agent. According to Brad Stainbrook, they already have an offer on the table for him, though it’s not top-dollar money.
He reported earlier yesterday that the Ravens and Henry had contact, later corroborated by others. During the night, he cited sources reporting that their offer “is in the range of $6.5 million per year”. That’s on the low end for what the top running backs are signing for, however, thus far.
Josh Jacobs, for example, signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Green Bay Packers, averaging $12 million. Likewise, Saquon Barkley signed a three-year contract in a similar range with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Both backs are considerably younger with less tread on their tires, granted, and Henry has already made his millions. He may prioritize the chance to win a Super Bowl at this point in his career over maximizing his earnings.
Ravens RB Gus Edwards already departed in free agency, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers and The Other Harbaugh. It seems unlikely that they intend to re-sign J.K. Dobbins, though given his injuries, he may be cheap enough.
The bigger names at the running back position are coming off the board already, but the Ravens likely remain favorites to sign Henry. The question is how much they’re willing to pay. I’m sure other teams have some reluctance paying up for a 30-year-old running back with almost 2,200 touches.
The weak running back draft class helps, but the Ravens’ system relies less on the running back than most. They have an elite running threat at quarterback in Lamar Jackson. And they have some younger running backs they like, though Keaton Mitchell is coming off a torn ACL.
At 29 years old, Henry led the NFL with 290 rushing attempts in 2023. He rushed for 1,167 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, with 12 touchdowns, and earned his fourth Pro Bowl nod. If he’s seen a drop-off in his play, it’s more from unstoppable to difficult to stop.
He still has more than a little something left in the tank, and running backs tend to thrive with running quarterbacks, Jackson being the best there is. They also afford him the luxury of lightening his load, as the Titans rode him hard for many years.
But they’re also losing their offensive line. They’ve already lost one guard in free agency in John Simpson with Kevin Zeitler likely to follow. Morgan Moses at right tackle is very replaceable as well. They have a stout center in Tyler Linderbaum, though former All-Pro LT Ronnie Stanley can’t stay healthy anymore. They have some names they can plug in like Ben Cleveland and Patrick Mekari, but they’ll likely want to add here.
