“I Am Done” $16 million New Ravens RB Outcast Laments

Derrick Henry’s clear message to any doubters wondering how much left in the tank is this:

He said, “Tell them to keep watching,” on Thursday.

In free agency, Henry was signed by the Baltimore Ravens to a two-year, $16 million contract, although there are concerns about how much tread remains on his tires. During the previous five seasons in Tennessee, the back received 1,529 carries, or 306 carries annually. With an average of 4.2 yards per rush last season, he had the lowest output since taking over as the full-time starter.

The 30-year-old back may find new life after joining Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense.

It seems obvious to me. In his opening press conference on Thursday, Henry stated, “This is where I knew I wanted to be.” “I adore the playfulness and style they employ in each of the three phases. It seems to go nicely with my playing style as well. Really, it was a no-brainer. Just attempting to understand the business side of things; happy that we were able to resolve it.”

Henry and Jackson together create a formidable defensive duo. On any given play, each can take it to the house with their legs, and Henry’s presence will increase the threat of the play-action pass. Adding a road grader like Henry will help defend the pass since the league has become smaller on the second level.

Henry has amassed the most rush yards in the NFL—3,267—against stacked boxes (eight or more defenders over his career, according to Next Gen Stats—and the most rush yards of any player since 2016. Throughout his career, Henry leads the league in rush touchdowns (58), rush first downs (158), and carries (742).

The defenses will have to watch Jackson, thus Henry will gain an advantage, but the Ravens should still see a treasure trove of stacked boxes.

“We can go in a lot of different directions because we’re versatile,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remarked. “Lamar gives us flexibility. What we’ve been doing in that direction, in my opinion, also fits Henry rather nicely. Any backfield configuration can run out of players. He might be beneath or inside the pistol. He has the ability to maneuver and be inside the gun. He is merely a flexible player.”

Henry has produced ten or more rushing touchdowns in six consecutive seasons, which is the third-longest streak in NFL history (Adrian Peterson, seven; LaDainian Tomlinson, nine). After at least five seasons with at least ten rushing touchdowns in a season, he becomes just the second athlete in NFL history to switch teams (Tomlinson).

According to NFL Research, Henry is now the 22nd player to switch teams after accumulating more than 2,000 career carries when he signs with the Ravens. Out of the previous 21, only three (Edgerrin James, Frank Gore, and Peterson) went on to have a season with 1,000 yards or more after switching teams.

Henry’s surroundings are immediately improved in Baltimore. Even though it still needs improvement, the offensive line is far better than what he faced in Tennessee the previous season. Zay Flowers and Jackson’s presence will deflect some of the attention from him.

Henry stated on Thursday, “I really wanted to be somewhere that had a solid foundation.” This base has been established for a very long period. Every year, they engage in competition and are often discussed. I wanted to be in an environment with excellent players all around me, including a fantastic quarterback and other athletes. I’m just thrilled to get this chance.”

The chance almost presented itself last season when there were speculations circulating that Henry could be traded to the Ravens before the deadline. In the end, no agreement was reached, and Henry spent his last season with the Titans.

On Thursday, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said that he had discussed a trade with the running back in the 2023 campaign.

“To be honest, we tried to trade for Derrick before the trade deadline,” DeCosta stated. “I believed there was a good possibility we could complete a trade. It was unsuccessful. It was underwhelming. However, we changed course. When you analyze the video, you observe the player, view their background, and speak with those who have known them, and it made everything clear.

After losing out on a trade for a few months, the Ravens secured the return of their workhorse. In 2024, Baltimore’s offense should be impossible to stop if Henry stays healthy.