For a piece published Friday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN shared why the Baltimore Ravens believe Derrick Henry can bounce back from a down season even though he turned 30 years old in January.
“Last season, at age 29, Henry had one of his worst seasons in recent memory, stirring up questions about his age and decline,” Hensley explained. “His average rushing yards per game (68.6) and yards per carry (4.2) were his worst since 2018. But Henry’s struggles could be the result of the [Tennessee Titans’] below-average offensive line more than his running ability. He had 106 rushes where he was contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage, according to ESPN Stats & Information.”
Quarterback Lamar Jackson earned regular-season Most Valuable Player Award honors for the second time en route to guiding the 2023 Ravens to a 13-4 record and the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. However, Baltimore running backs curiously received just six carries in the club’s 17-10 home AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in January.
This past March, early in free agency, the Ravens signed Henry to a two-year, $16M contract. Logic suggests the veteran is no longer what he was when he became a two-time rushing champion, but the Ravens believe Henry has enough left in the tank to make life a little easier for Jackson this fall.
According to StatMuse, no quarterback has rushed for more regular-season yards than Jackson (5,258) since Baltimore made him the 32nd overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
“Henry’s four carries when he reached a top speed of 20-plus MPH were tied for fourth among running backs,” Hensley added about the ball-carrier’s performances from the 2023 campaign. “He still can break tackles. Henry’s average rushing yards after first contact last season (2.21) ranked first in the NFL.”
As of early Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Ravens second behind only the Chiefs (+300) at +550 betting odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIX. Baltimore’s failure to return to the conference title game would be considered quite a disappointment, considering how close the club was to facing the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII this past winter.