Derrick Henry Signing 'Propelling' Ravens Super Bowl Push?
If there was one team that didn't need to get better at running back, it would be the Baltimore Ravens. After again being one of the best rushing teams in the NFL last season, the Ravens saw Gus Edwards leave via free agency to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Still, with Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill on the roster, along with J.K. Dobbins (a free agent, so that could change), the Ravens still had decent firepower out of the backfield.
But Baltimore landed a hammer blow to its AFC rivals with the signing of Tennessee Titans running back and two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry.
Now, with the Ravens rushing attack having Henry to keep defenses guessing as Lamar Jackson as we know is also a competent runner when given the chance, Baltimore just got a whole lot better.
For CBS Sports.com, Henry's addition to the Ravens' offense could propel them to Super Bowl glory.
"Henry didn't need a sterling supporting cast to become one of the NFL's steadiest ball carriers in Tennessee, but in Baltimore, he'll enjoy the most dynamic quarterback with whom he's ever shared a backfield," CBS Sports writes. And Lamar Jackson's offensive line is also superior to anything Henry's run behind in recent years. It's not hard to envision him propelling a Super Bowl push."
USA Today
It is no secret that Henry is as battle-tested as they come; with over 2,000 rushing attempts in his career and three times he has had over 300 attempts in a season, there is still some tread left on those aging tires.
He still managed 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and while his yards per game have been steadily dropping over the last four years (gone from 126.7 to 68.6), he's now in an offense where he won't have to be the centerpiece.
Todd Monken came in last season, and we saw the Ravens be more pass-orientated on offense as Lamar Jackson threw for the most yards in his career (3,678) and had the most passing attempts (457), yet Baltimore was still the best rushing team in the NFL.
Now, with weapons in Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely, the Ravens can hurt teams through the air, but on the ground with Henry, Baltimore can also attack even more in the run game.
The Ravens came up just short last season, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. With the addition of Henry, they may have just picked up the piece of the Super Bowl puzzle that they were missing.
