Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Ravens Fans Must Brace for Derrick Henry Dropoff

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 1:00 PM ET

From an outsider's perspective, many would believe that Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry had another great season in the backfield, but it might not have been as good as some thought.

Henry finished the 2025 campaign with 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. Typically, that would have been good enough to get him a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection, but neither happened for him, which was odd for everyone. That led Pro Football Focus's Nic Bodiford to examine the production of running backs over 30 years old, and while Henry is still far better than any in that age range, some stats suggest he's slowing down a bit.

"Henry will be 33 years old by the time his contract expires in 2027. He is the lone qualifying player to retain a featured offensive role all season, yet he forced the fewest missed tackles per rushing attempt (0.14) since his 2016 rookie season (0.14)," he wrote.

"His 3.6 yards after contact per rushing attempt rank sixth among his 10 NFL seasons, and his 79.4 PFF rushing grade ranks seventh. Among 32 NFL running backs with at least 165 rushing attempts in Weeks 1-NFL Conference Championship weekend, Henry’s three data points tie for 30th, rank third and 15th, respectively," Bodiford continued.

What should Ravens do about Derrick Henry in 2026 and beyond?

One thing should be made very clear: there is no scenario in which Henry is even suggested for release or trade, or for taking a seat on the bench. Henry is still a top-five running back in the NFL and should be the starter in 2026.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The decrease in broken tackles and how the other stats compare to his career show some regression in his game, and decisions need to be made. One option to consider is bringing in another young running back to be Henry's future successor when his time comes.

If anything, it would be good to just have a solid backup who can take the load off of Henry. He is getting to the age where carrying the ball more than 300 times a season will not be sustainable for his body.

While guys like Keaton Mitchell, Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali are nice backups, they can't handle too many carries. The Ravens might want to take a look at the NFL Draft for someone who could take on 100 to 150 carries a season, so that Henry can have 200 to 250 carries per year himself.

If the Ravens can find a young back with some speed and good hands out of the backfield to help out Henry, Baltimore will have a fresher-legged Henry who can just focus on hammering the middle of the line, while the other back can use his speed on the outside for big plays.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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