After a disappointing loss in the AFC Championship Game to the Kansas City Chiefs in January, the Baltimore Ravens reloaded by signing star running back Derrick Henry in free agency.
It was a big coup for a Ravens team that finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record, but has still failed to go far in the playoffs in the five-and-a-half seasons that two-time MVP Lamar Jackson has been their starting quarterback.
Head coach John Harbaugh, per Around the NFL, envisions Henry being a pretty natural fit for their offense and the way they like to attack opposing defenses.
“He’s just real football,” Harbaugh said.
“He’s just real football”: Ravens coach John Harbaugh discusses Derrick Henry addition with @wyche89https://t.co/FzjLToexdB pic.twitter.com/RO1rSPn4EO
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 25, 2024
In 2020, Henry was named the Offensive Player of the Year for becoming one of a handful of players to record at least 2,000 rushing yards in a season while also scoring 17 rushing touchdowns.
A Jones fracture limited him to eight games the following year, and his efficiency has fallen off since that historic 2020 campaign.
One concern is the fact that Henry is 30 years of age, which is the point at which running backs have historically declined, but with Jackson’s ability to move the chains with his legs, he will have help.
Jackson ran for 821 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 to go along with his 3,678 passing yards and 24 passing touchdowns.
Historically, the Ravens have won by playing ground-and-pound football on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and they could be setting themselves up for a legitimate run at a third Super Bowl championship.
At the same time, the AFC could be even better and deeper than it was in 2023, and the defending world champion Chiefs aren’t going anywhere.
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John Harbaugh Names Backup QB For Ravens Next Season