The King has arrived at the Castle, and his fit on the purple throne could not be more comfortable.
After an eight-year reign in Tennessee, Derrick Henry’s decision to rule in Baltimore wasn’t difficult.
“It was really a no-brainer for me,” Henry said during his introductory press conference Thursday.
“This is where I knew I wanted to be. I love the style, the physicality that they play with on all three phases. I feel like it fits my style of play as well and it was really a no-brainer trying to figure out the business side of things and I’m glad we were able to get it figured out.”
The Ravens’ reputation as consistent contenders with a solid foundation also factored into Henry’s decision.
“I definitely wanted to be somewhere that had a solid foundation, and this foundation has been set for a very long time. They compete every year and always in the conversation,” Henry added. “I want to be somewhere I’m surrounded by talent, have a great quarterback and great players around as well, so I’m just excited for this opportunity and blessed and thankful to be able to land here.”
New RB Derrick Henry joins Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing to talk about going from the Titans to Ravens, the free-agency process, the motivation of being a 30-year-old running back, his pairing with Lamar Jackson, and much more.
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In Henry, 30, the Ravens acquired the most productive rusher in recent NFL history to complement two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson in the backfield. Henry said he is excited to play with Jackson, noting his dynamic playmaking ability.
Henry has led the NFL in rushing yards (9,012), rushing touchdowns (85), rushing yards per game (86.7), and rushing attempts (1,920) and rushes of 10-plus yards (220) since 2017. His physicality and speed will be advantageous for Baltimore in its quest for another deep playoff run.
The Ravens and Henry have been linked for some time before making it official at the start of free agency Wednesday. General Manager Eric DeCosta admitted he tried to bring Henry to Baltimore at last year’s trade deadline.
“To be honest, we tried to trade for Derrick at the trade deadline and I thought there was a reasonable chance we’d get the trade done. It didn’t work out, it was disappointing, but we pivoted,” DeCosta said. “Again, when you evaluate the tape, you watch the player, you see the history of the player, you talk to people who have been around the player, it made all the sense in the world for us to target Derrick.”
Henry wanted to come to Baltimore at that time, too. He said he was a “fan from afar” as the Ravens went down the stretch and to the AFC Championship.
“If I could get here, that’s where I wanted to be,” Henry said on “The Lounge” podcast. “If we can work through the kinks and get the business side taken care of, then I’ll be happy. I’m glad that it happened because this is where I wanted to be. I just feel like this is a perfect fit.”
Henry will join backs Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, who is coming off an ACL tear. Head Coach John Harbaugh appreciates Henry’s versatility and ability to impact the offense in multiple ways as a “guy that loves football.”
“This is a [running] back that can do everything, and he can change the game for you, so we’re excited about it,” Harbaugh said. “I’m looking forward to it.”