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Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Baltimore Ravens: Analysts Give Honest Take on Derrick Henry’s Surprise 2024 Arrival

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics
By Christian Alamodin | Last updated 3/12/24

Compared to the rest of the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens didn’t catch a lot of attention in the offseason spotlight. Some may have even thought that they were eerily quiet during the leadup to free agency.

However, they immediately made waves in and around the NFL when they managed to sign Derrick Henry in free agency.

As Ravens fans begin to gush over how their running game will now be tough to contain with Henry and Lamar Jackson threatening to rip through opposing defensive lines, analysts who have followed the team for years give their honest takes on how King Henry would impact the quality of football played in the Queen City.

Analysts give honest takes on the Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Henry signing

Staffers of long-time Ravens publication Baltimore Beatdown talked about various aspects of the acquisition, and the general mood over the signing is positive.

Kyle Phoenix gushed about the Ravens’ patience during the leadup to the signing:

The Ravens were patient amid the wild Day 1 of the NFL’s legal tampering period. While just about every running back had agreed to terms with a new club, the Ravens remained poised with their target. In the end, they get Henry at an $8-10 million AAV, depending upon his incentives. And if Henry’s hitting those incentives, it’s because he’s delivering, which is a boon for Baltimore.

Joshua Reed’s assessment sees him agreeing with Phoenix:

Henry was born to be a Ravens with his hard-nosed and physical running style and I’m perfectly fine with the value of the contract that averages $8 million with only $9 million fully guaranteed which means he will earn more if he produces more.

Zach Canter poured water on the hype train, saying that the Ravens may have paid too much for a player who might already be on his last legs:

The money is nothing to scoff at $8M a year. And Henry is hitting that magic number of 30 years old for a running back. The Ravens saw it with Mark Ingram, who went for a 1000 yards at age 29 in 2019 and then looked unusable at age 30 in 2020. Henry also has a lot of tread on the tires. That makes this signing high risk, high reward.

Did the Baltimore Ravens make the right move in signing King Henry?

The Baltimore Ravens may have paid more than they would have liked when it came to getting Henry. He’s already at an age where running backs begin to fall off.

Since defenses in the AFC South are also a lot tougher, he may finally start declining with them and have Lamar Jackson carry the team all over again.

However, if King Henry manages to run similar numbers to his 2023 performance (1167 rushing yards and 12 TDs on 4.2 yards per carry) and help them to their first Super Bowl title in over a decade, the investment will be more than worth it.