Running back Derrick Henry found a new team on the second day of 2024 NFL free agency.
Although Henry had to wait a little longer than most of the other big names at the running back position, he found his new sporting home on Tuesday. Henry is moving to the Baltimore Ravens and signing a two-year contract with a base value of $16 million, of which nine million is guaranteed. Henry can earn a maximum of $20 million there.
Henry was a second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in the 2016 draft and played his entire career in Nashville. Henry led the NFL in rushing twice and even ran for 2,027 yards in 2020. In total, he had 9,502 rushing yards and 90 touchdowns during his time at Tennessee.
Henry led the NFL in carries in four of the past five years and had 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. He just finished a four-year contract worth $50 million and has earned $56.85 million in the NFL through the end of the 2023 season.
Ravens with Jackson and Henry in the backfield
Henry now joins a backfield in which quarterback Lamar Jackson is usually the leading rusher but could now be replaced by Henry. With this duo, the Ravens will probably rely on read options and RPOs much more often than before in order to cause big problems for defenses on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Ravens certainly had a need when it came to the running back position. Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins became free agents and Edwards has already chosen the Los Angeles Chargers as his new team. Now Henry becomes the new starter in the backfield, pushing Keaton Mitchell, Justice Hill and Owen Wright to the bottom of the depth chart. Due to its robustness, Baltimore is likely to change the running back position less frequently in the future than it did last year.