The Baltimore Ravens had minimal cap space to sign free agents this offseason, losing many of their own, but head coach John Harbaugh did manage to add one prized target in RB Derrick Henry. Tired of being on the other end of his runs, he and the Ravens saw an opportunity to change that.
“I guess it’s, if you can’t beat him, sign him, and that’s what we were able to do with him”, he joked with Rich Eisen. “It really was not much conversation at all, because we wanted him to be here and he wanted to be here”.
In actuality, Derrick Henry has had mixed results playing against the Baltimore Ravens in the past. In his first two games in 2017 and 2018, he carried just 15 times combined for 47 yards. He rushed for 133 yards on 28 attempts in 2022, however, and 97 on only 12 carries last year, with a score in each game. He has three total touchdowns against them in his four-game history.
Henry’s two postseason games against the Ravens also went very differently. In 2019, he rushed for 195 yards on 30 attempts in an easy Titans victory. A year later, he only managed 40 yards on 18 attempts in a seven-point loss. Even at his lowest moments, however, Henry is not a fun player to tackle. And even at age 30, the Ravens still coveted him.
“We certainly didn’t expect them all to sign so quickly”, Harbaugh said of the surprisingly hot early running back market. “But the guy we wanted was the guy that didn’t go off the board. We’d been talking to his agent all along, and we knew he wanted to be here, and I think he knew we wanted him here. He’s a great fit for us. Can’t wait for him to put the pads on and start running the ball for the Baltimore Ravens”.
The Ravens attempted to trade for Henry at the deadline last season, but they couldn’t complete the deal. They had clear mutual interest, so the free agency deal came together rather smoothly once his market settled.
The market was surprisingly active, with big names like Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, Saquon Barkley and Austin Ekeler changing teams. Henry is obviously among those names after spending eight years with the Titans.
He’s still a workhorse back, leading the NFL in rushing attempts in each of the past two seasons. Henry rushed for 1,167 yards on 280 attempts in 2023 with 12 touchdowns, making another Pro Bowl. The Ravens know they are getting a guy who still has something in the tank.
And they need him because they lost both Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency. They still have Justice Hill, though 2023 rookie Keaton Mitchell is recovering from a torn ACL. Henry figures to be the strongest complement of Lamar Jackson’s career as the Ravens try to find more balance in their offense.
