The addition of Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry to the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens made them even more formidable. Despite the belief held by some that Henry’s physical decline is a result of the demands of the running back position, Henry still has a lot of energy left in him. Remember that despite playing behind one of the weakest offensive lines in the previous season, he still managed to log 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns. Now, PFF’s Sam Monson in Baltimore believes King Henry has a good chance of coming back thanks to Todd Monken’s plan.
On NFL Total Access, Monson stated, “I don’t think we should be overlooking the fact that Derrick Henry is still Derrick Henry.” “Despite playing behind the NFL’s worst offensive line for the past two seasons, he has averaged 3.5 yards after contact during that time.” That is a really high figure. King Henry should definitely come back if he faces a good offensive line, and that’s before you consider Lamar Jackson’s ability to draw attention away from him and negate the threat he poses as a quarterback who can pass the ball as well.
Despite seeing a decline in yards per game over the past two seasons, Henry’s stats show that he has still been extremely effective, averaging over 1,000 running yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in a row. That was on a team where he was supposed to be the main offensive source—not behind a subpar offensive line. Henry won’t be expected to carry the entire offensive load because of Lamar Jackson, Keaton Mitchell, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Nelson Agholor, and Justice Hill.
Jackson set career highs in passing attempts and yards last season, but the Ravens were still the best rushing club in the NFL despite their shift to a more pass-oriented offence. The Ravens have strengthened their position, and with an offensive line that still has room for improvement, King Henry might very well make a devastating comeback in 2024.
