Ravens Super Bowl Favorites with RB Derrick Henry?
On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens and former Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry agreed to terms on a two-year, $16 million deal.
Henry became expendable in Tennessee when the Titans agreed to bring in former Dallas Cowboys back Tony Pollard on Monday, and there was already reported interest between Henry and the Ravens.
Henry joins a team that desperately needed a bonafide RB1 and brings that element to Baltimore. MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson led the team in rushing last season after J.K. Dobbins went down in Week 1 with a torn Achilles.
Behind Jackson's MVP season, the team marked the best regular season record in the league, won the AFC North title and the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. But the Ravens ran into a buzzsaw in Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game and lost 17-10.
Henry will bring explosiveness to offensive coordinator Todd Monken's offense and will take a lot of the pressure off of Jackson to be a runner. One of the perceived problems in last year's AFC title game was the pressure on Jackson to do everything, on the ground and through the air.
Henry will spell that for Jackson and the pair could be the best quarterback/running back duo in the league.
Before the signing of Henry, the Ravens were already the favorites to win the North again at +110. Those odds should increase with Henry in the fold.
But what about the ultimate goal of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans?
Before Henry came aboard, the Ravens were +900, good enough for third-best odds to win the big one in New Orleans next February. That's behind No. 1 San Francisco (+500) and No. 2 Kansas City (+650).
That will most likely change somewhat in the coming days. And the Ravens could be closer to the favorite overall.
