Age Should Be a Concerning Factor for the Ravens in 2026 and Here’s Why

The Baltimore Ravens are set to begin their 2026 regular season not only as clear favorites to retake the AFC North (-115) after surrendering the crown on a missed field goal last year to the Steelers, but also as one of the betting favorites to win it all in Super Bowl LXI (10-1).

Despite all the optimism, there's still areas of concern surrounding the Ravens’ roster -- including the interior offensive line and pass rush -- along with the fact that the team is undergoing massive coaching changes at all top positions.

However, there's another cause for concern in Baltimore when it comes to players that are being counted on to stay in, or take, major roles for the organization in 2026: age.

A handful of the team’s key players are not only on the wrong side of 30 in a young man’s game, but they’re at a point in their careers where decline usually sets in.

Take Derrick Henry, for example. Over his two years with the team, Henry has been phenomenal, 3,516 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns. At 32-years old, he's already an outlier, benefiting from starting just four games over his first two seasons in the league while splitting carries in Tennessee.

A couple of Hall of Famers are the golden standard here. Walter Payton tallied 645 carries for 2,884 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns over the 1985 and 1986 seasons, when he was 32 and 33 years old, respectively. Those were his ninth and tenth season amassing over 300 carries a year for a man who many consider the best of all-time.

John Riggins was also a beast, with 2,586 combined rushing yards and 38 combined rushing touchdowns between 1983 and 1984, when he was 34 and 35 years old, respectively. The caveat: those were Riggo’s only two seasons with over 260 carries during his 15-year career (375 and 327). Henry has already topped 260 carries a year six times, including five seasons over 300.

Name	Season	Age	Rushing yards
John Riggins	1983	34	1,347
John Riggins	1984	35	1,239
Walter Payton	1985	32*	1,551
Walter Payton	1986	33*	1,333

* Disputed

Those are the only four seasons of 1,200 rushing yards or more at age 32 or older in NFL history, and even that number may be disputed as Payton’s birth year is still a matter of discussion.

We’re not saying Henry can’t add a fifth entry to that list, and even a sixth one. But he’ll need to do so without star fullback Pat Ricard and an O-line still unresolved at a pair of positions.

Trey Hendrickson is another name to consider.He tallied 35 combined sacks between 2023 and 2024 in Cincy before an injury limited him to just 4.0 in seven games last year.

At 31 years old, he’s also hitting a stage in his career where numbers usually go down. Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, only 12 players have produced single seasons of 15.0 sacks or more in the NFL.

Name	Season	Age	Sacks
Fred Dean	1983	31	17.5
Kevin Greene	1998	36	15.0
Reggie White	1998	36	16.0
Chris Doleman	1998	37	15.0
Trace Armstrong	2000	35	16.5
Michael Strahan	2003	31	18.5
Joey Porter	2008	31	17.5
Jason Babin	2011	31	18.0
Robert Mathis	2013	32	19.5
Robert Quinn	2021	31	18.5
Khalil Mack	2023	32	17.0
Danielle Hunter	2025	31	15.0

Again, no one is saying Hendrickson can’t add his name to that list, but it seems the Ravens are putting all their eggs in one basket at a position of urgent need. Last season, Travis Jones led the team with 5.0 sacks, and when your 341-pound nose tackle is your sack leader, you’re not in great shape -- not to take anything away from Jones’ monster effort last year.

Tavius Robinson, Mike Green and rookie Zion Young are expected to help Hendrickson out in the pass rush, but 12.5 combined sacks is what they bring to the table. The Ravens haven’t had a player hit the 15.0-sack mark since Elvis Dumervil did it over a decade ago in 2014, when he tallied 17.0 at the age of 30, barely missing the list above.

And sure, sacks aren’t the be-all and end-all when discussing pass rushing, but they are the kind of splash plays that the Ravens have been missing for the longest time.

Other key Ravens' players 30-years old and above

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is 32-years old. He's been healthy for a few seasons after a pretty tough stretch, and plays a position which can afford longevity. But if he were to miss some time again, who can step up on the left side?

Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie make up two-thirds of the Ravens’ starting cornerback trio, at 30- and 31-years of age, respectively. Humphrey hasn’t played a full season since 2022, and he’s been subject of trade or cut discussions for some time due to his cap hit of almost 26.3 million in his last year under contract with the team.

A lot is riding on these five Ravens, and at least in the case of Henry and Hendrickson the team is expecting Hall of Fame-level production this year, considering their ages.

Yes, it can be done. But it’s not a given.

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