The Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl contenders because of quarterback Lamar Jackson, but one of the league’s most well-rounded rosters amplifies him and makes them true contenders.
As such, fans looking to poke holes in the Ravens’ chances won’t have much luck on paper. That has left some to look beyond the starting lineup and onto Baltimore’s backups, where they might find a rather thin crop of running backs behind Derrick Henry.
Henry’s impact on the offense was profound in 2024, and it was easily the best backfield partner Jackson has had since being drafted in 2018. The drop off between Henry and Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell is significant, and as Henry marches further into his 30s, durability questions are only going to increase.
Subsequently, the Ravens are once again the focus of a running back trade proposal. Last Word on Sports recently matched Baltimore with Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker.
“The Ravens will eventually need a long-term running back behind star veteran Derrick Henry,” Anthony Palacios wrote. “Even though there’s a lot of hope that Keaton Mitchell is the rising talent, there’s no guarantee that he can fortify the backfield behind him. Perhaps, the team could trade for Walker if Mitchell is serious about giving Henry relief for the majority of the 2025 season to keep him fresh for the postseason.”
A move for Walker, frankly, is unnecessary. The Ravens’ run game was elite with Henry in 2024, ranking second in the league in expected points added per rush. In the four years prior, from 2020 to 2023, Baltimore ranked first, 11th, second, and third, respectively.
The Ravens don’t need Henry to be an elite offense. He makes them more dangerous in January and is a significant part of the team’s plans, but if he goes down, Baltimore’s ground game will be fine – as long as Jackson is healthy.
Jackson’s mobility is the biggest puzzle piece of Baltimore’s offense, and it is able to elevate just about any viable running back. A Henry injury makes the Ravens less imposing, sure. But giving up real draft capital for a backup running back is a poor use of Baltimore’s resources, and Walker’s looming contract year only makes the Ravens a less desirable landing spot for him, too.
Baltimore is thin behind Henry by design. Don’t expect them to make a significant move to rectify that concession.
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