The Baltimore Ravens may have added the key missing piece when they signed free agent running back Derrick Henry to a two-year, $16 million deal that can be worth up to $20 million. Henry is coming off a season in which he finished second in the NFL in rushing with 1,167 yards.
Henry has a history of destroying the Ravens. His 195 yards fueled the Tennessee Titans to a shocking win over the Ravens in the 2019 Divisional Round of the playoffs. Henry’s 29-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of a Week 6 game against the Ravens sealed the Titans 30-24 win the following year.
“I’ll tell you, in 2019, we played that [AFC Divisional Round against the Titans], and it was just a gut-wrenching performance,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said at Henry’s introductory press conference.
The Ravens got tired of Henry bullying them so they pounced on the opportunity to add him to the roster.
“The offensive coaches are pretty fired up, but the defensive coaches, they don’t have to tackle this guy anymore. So, it’s just great for our team,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
Henry’s time in Tennessee had run its course after eight years with the team. He finished his time in Nashville having accumulated the second most (9,502) career rushing yards. Henry is currently tied with Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson and Curtis Martin for 13th All Time with 90 career rushing touchdowns.
The match with the Ravens was one that everyone knew was coming. It’s a natural fit.
“It really was a no-brainer for me,” Henry said. “This is where I knew where I wanted to be. I love the style [and] the physicality that they play with on all three phases. I feel like it fits my style of play as well. And it really was a no-brainer – [we were] just trying to figure out the business side of things. [I’m] glad we were able to get it figured out.”
Henry said he’s looking forward to playing with a dynamic quarterback like Lamar Jackson. He should be. With Jackson on the field, opposing defenses have to account for his playmaking ability so that takes an extra defender out of the mix. In essence, it’ll make Henry’s job somewhat easier.
There are questions about whether or not the 30-year-old running back has anything left in the tank. Henry showed flashes of his old self in London last season when he broke a 64-yard run against the Ravens. Henry’s final game last season was a 153-yard rushing performance that included a 53-yard run where he was clocked at 21 mph according to Next Gen Stats.
When asked about having productive football left in his tank, Henry’s response was one of confidence.
“Tell them to keep watching,” Henry said. “People are always going to have something to say. They’re always going to have opinions. I’m just here ready to work, ready to get things started, [and] do my best to help this organization.”