The owner of the Baltmore Ravens terminated their two-year contract with Derrick Henry due to a misunderstanding, and the team is asking for their…
Derrick Henry found a new home with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the second day of legal tampering, also known as early free agency. Henry and the Ravens agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract, with $9 million guaranteed, after rumors of the partnership began to circulate on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
For nearly ten years, the former Tennessee Titans running back has been the most effective at his position. In five of the previous six seasons, he has rushed for at least 1,000 yards; his best year was 2020, when he gained 2,027 yards and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year. In 2019 and 2020, he was the top rusher in the league.
Henry, 30, is about to enter a fascinating phase of his professional life. His nineth season in the league will be marked by mostly individual accomplishments rather than much team success. However, he will be joining a Ravens team that has qualified for the postseason five of the previous six years. Additionally, this team is highly renowned for its rushing attack. With 2,661 yards, Baltimore had the best rushing offense in the league at the end of 2023.
This seems like the perfect combination on paper. The best rushing offense in the league combined with the top rusher for more than five years. Check out the grade it received.
Once more, the Ravens were unable to merit a return trip.despite having home-field advantage, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated them in the AFC Championship Game, sending them to the Super Bowl. The Ravens only ran the ball 16 times for 84 yards during the game, for some strange reason choosing to abandon their rushing attack—the weapon that got them to the dance—in favor of bread and butter.
Lamar Jackson, the quarterback, is undoubtedly a key component of the Ravens’ running attack, so perhaps the altered strategy was intended to preserve his health in the face of the formidable Chiefs defense.
In any case, with Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins both set to become free agents in 2024, the Ravens were going to need to provide Jackson with some assistance. Edwards has already agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, finding a new home. As of this writing, Dobbins has not been dealt.
You have to feel pretty good about getting Henry if you are Jackson. Opposing defenses already find Jackson to be a major headache, so adding a 6-foot-3, nearly 250-pound running back as a backup option only makes matters worse for them. Together, they ought to be a good complement, relieving each other of some of their tension.
Jackson is no longer required to be the team’s top rusher, as he was for the previous five seasons with the Ravens. However, Henry need not be the main character in the running game. That is suitable for a running back.
