Ravens Blockbuster Move On Derrick Henry Remains A Mystery

The Baltimore Ravens, to be clear, are under no obligation to do anything here.

A year ago, they took a calculated gamble on a stud running back in his 30's. They hoped the two-year deal would prove to be a bargain. They played on their new star being part of a run toward the Super Bowl.

Check. Check. Check.

Good for them ... and as of last year, good enough for perennial NFL rushing championship contender Derrick Henry.

To some, that was then.

And this is now.

But obviously, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta doesn't quite see it that way.

"We have a lot of different balls in air right now," DeCosta said just before the NFL Draft. "That's probably what I would say on that. I'm not going to talk about what we're doing or what we're not doing behind the scenes business-wise ...

"It's a challenge."

Is that an official "no''? Nah. But it's quite clearly at least an official "not yet.''

Henry signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Ravens before last season in free agency, and he is set to earn $6 million in base salary this season.

As of a year ago? There were questions entering last year whether the five-time Pro Bowler had too much tread worn off his tires. Henry silenced those doubts as he bullied opponents for 1,921 yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns on 325 carries.

But what about now? Should Baltimore wonder anew about that "tire tread'' as Henry is now 31 years old?

"I want to retire a Raven," Henry said recently, and that sounds grand to everybody in Baltimore. ... except for the part about how much and when his contract - this one or the next one - expires.