'Todd Monken Problem!' Ex Super Bowl Winner Says Derrick Henry Not Good For Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens might undergo a tremendous amount of turnover before next season starts - a season they hope results in coach John Harbaugh hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after a Super Bowl LIX win in New Orleans.
Likely gone are running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards - their No. 1 and No. 2 backs from last season. Because of their philosophy of "running back by committee" over the past few seasons, the Ravens have only had one back post a 1,000-yard season since quarterback Lamar Jackson arrived in 2018.
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If they decide to abandon that tactic, there are feature backs that are available through free agency. One of the most prominent available is eight-year veteran Derrick Henry, who has spent his entire career with the Tennessee Titans.
Regardless of a high workload over his eight seasons, the former Alabama back still appears to have a lot left in the proverbial running back tank.
But one former Super Bowl winner thinks signing Derrick Henry in free agency isn't the best idea for the Ravens, and it wouldn't fix their problems.
"Listen, he's a durable back, been injured one time," Colon said during a recent airing of "The Carton Show."
"But what the Baltimore Ravens need to understand is that, in the AFC Championship, when your identity needed to come to fruition, you ran away from it. You don't have a running back problem, you have a Todd Monken problem. ... But Derrick Henry right now, yes, he's a downhill back. He's that old-school, gritty, run-between-the-tackles type guy, but they need a running back who can also catch the ball out the backfield."
Last season, Henry rushed for 1,167 yards on 280 carries and scored 12 touchdowns. His average yards per carry last year was 4.2, down from his career average of 4.7, but that could be due to a down season for the Titans' offensive line as much as anything.
NBC Sports Bet lists the Ravens as the favorites to sign Henry at +200, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles at +400, Dallas Cowboys at +500, Houston Texans at +750 and the Los Angeles Chargers at +1000.
Colon later went on to say a running back like Saquon Barkley might make sense for Baltimore since he's "better in the pass game," and is also a free agent this season.
