Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushes the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley Shows Love to Ravens' Derrick Henry

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated May 19, 2025 10:42 AM ET

It's no secret that the NFL running back market has been on the decline for years now, but in 2024: two players - Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens and Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles - showed that the position is still very much worth investing in.

Henry and Barkley were both simply dominant in their first year with their new teams. The 31-year-old Henry rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, tied for the most in the league, while averaging a career-best 5.9 yards per attempt. The 28-year-old Barkley was even better, rushing for a league-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns to win Offensive Player of the Year and lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory.

Other running backs had great 2024 seasons to be sure, but Henry and Barkley were on a different level.

As two of the best running backs in the league, Henry and Barkley both root for each other to lead the way at the position. Case in point, Barkley had to share his excitement after Henry signed a two-year, $30 million extension last week, which keeps him in Baltimore through the 2027 season.

"Yesssir," Barkley wrote on social media.

@KingHenry_2 yesssirr ✊✊ https://t.co/LhxFv07TGp
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) May 15, 2025

Earlier this offseason, Barkley signed a two-year, $41.2 million extension to remain in Philadelphia through the 2028 campaign. With an average salary of $20.6 million per year, he's now the highest-paid running back in NFL history by a signifcant margin.

The idea of a Henry extension was definitely out there before Barkley signed his own deal, as the Ravens wanted to give their newfound star a bit of extra security. However, Barkley's extension certainly put the pressure on the Ravens to get a deal done quickly. It took a couple of months, but they finally got the deal across the finish line.

Now, the Ravens' hope is that Henry can continue to produce at an elite level in his early 30s, and he's given them no reason to believe otherwise.

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

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