Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry the Biggest Winner of NFL Free Agency

The Baltimore Ravens couldn’t have possibly mined a better scheme fit to drop into the backfield alongside MVP-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson than Derrick Henry.

Henry is both the kind of battering ram who can elevate the Ravens‘ short-yardage and goal-line offense, as well as an explosive runner in the open field who will tax opposing defenses and must account for the perimeter speed of wide receiver Zay Flowers and the possibility that Jackson can sprint out of the pocket for a big play on any given snap.

Good luck slowing that offense down.

CBS Sports lists Henry as one of the free agents who will benefit the most from his new home.

“Henry didn’t need a sterling supporting cast to become one of the NFL’s steadiest ball carriers in Tennessee,” Cody Benjamin writes. “But in Baltimore, he’ll enjoy the most dynamic quarterback with whom he’s ever shared a backfield. And Lamar Jackson’s offensive line is also superior to anything Henry’s run behind in recent years. It’s not hard to envision him propelling a Super Bowl push.”

Henry, in his career, averages 4.2 yards per carry on third down and 1-to-3 yards to go, and rushed for 61 of his 90 touchdowns inside the red zone. Last season, Baltimore boasted the seventh-ranked red-zone scoring offense, reaching the end zone on 62.1 percent of trips inside the 20-yard line.

In a lot of ways, Henry was built to play the Ravens’ style of bully-ball on offense, and figures to make a significant impact in 2024 and beyond.