OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Derrick Henry arrived in Baltimore at age 30 and had one of the best seasons of his career while playing alongside Lamar Jackson.
Why leave all that behind?
Henry is now ready to stay with the Ravens for at least the next couple of years after agreeing to a two-year, $30 million extension last week that included $25 million guaranteed. The star running back was already under contract for this coming season, but now Baltimore has him signed through 2026.
It was clear Henry didn’t want to mess with a successful situation after he ran for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024 while producing a career-high 5.9 yards per carry.
“I really enjoyed last season a lot,” Henry said. “Being able to play alongside a player like Lamar, the best player in the league, it was just dynamic and a lot of fun. There’s a lot of young guys on the offense and on this team, so I feel like they give me youth and give me a lot of energy.”
Henry is now 19th on the career rushing list with 11,423 yards, and another season like last year would vault him all the way into the top nine. Baltimore is certainly a place where a running back can put up big numbers and win a lot of games, as long as Jackson is healthy and playing well.
The Ravens led the NFL in rushing the past two seasons and have ranked in the top three every year since Jackson’s arrival in 2018. The two-time MVP quarterback produces a lot of yards on the ground himself, but his presence also creates space for running backs such as Henry, who ran for 1,167 yards — 4.2 per carry — with Tennessee in 2023 before looking rejuvenated in Baltimore.
“I’m just very grateful for this organization,” Henry said. “Just like last year, coming off the season I had, I wasn’t really happy, and I wanted to prove myself and just get an opportunity, and they gave me the opportunity. I’m very appreciative of how much they value me, to give me an extension, and I just want to show them how much it means to me, how much this organization means to me by the way I work and what I do on the field.”
The Ravens’ effect on rushing success is evident in reverse too. Gus Edwards ran for a career-high 810 yards with 13 touchdowns for Baltimore in 2023. With the Los Angeles Chargers last season, he had a career-low 3.6 yards per carry.
And while the Ravens provide an environment where running backs can flourish, they clearly don’t view everyone at the position as interchangeable — as evidenced by what they’re willing to pay Henry.
“I think he fits Baltimore as a city and what the city stands for,” running backs coach Willie Taggart said. “When you always watched the Ravens play, it was always dominating and physical, and when you watch Derrick run, it’s dominating and physical. You think about our city. We’re dominating and physical, so I think he just fit everything about Baltimore and the Ravens’ organization.”
It didn’t take long for Henry to dispel concerns about his age last season, and Baltimore is willing to bet he can keep on doing that.
“If you look at the performance he had last year — one of his better years — and that’s nine years in. That’s big time, but Derrick works hard. It’s important to him,” Taggart said. “He wants to win a Super Bowl, and I know he’s going to do everything he can to help this football team accomplish that.”
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