After a disappointing trip to the AFC Championship Game in 2023, the Baltimore Ravens were looking to get over the hump and bring home a Super Bowl championship. Exploring every avenue to take down the Kansas City Chiefs atop the conference, they found themselves going after and acquiring one of the highest-profile stars of the offseason in running back Derrick Henry.
A season later, let’s take a look back at how the deal came to be and how it worked out for both sides.
Baltimore Ravens Signed Derrick Henry in the Offseason
On face value, the two years and $16 million that the Ravens gave Henry feels like a steal. However, the context behind the deal matters. At 31, it was hard to imagine that Henry had a long career ahead of him, especially for a demanding position like the running back.
Moreover, he was coming off his worst year in terms of efficiency (just 4.2 yards per carry). Even though he generated 1,167 yards, it was a far cry from his peak with the Tennessee Titans. Teams were worried about signing him only for the wheels to fall off in the immediate future.
Granted, Henry did have some incentives to help build upon that $8 million mark.
Sports Illustrated obtained a copy of Henry’s contract and reported on his various incentives. Already, he has cashed in a $500,000 bonus for scoring 13 touchdowns, and another $500,000 when he reached touchdown No. 15. Moreover, an additional $1,000,000 was earned for crossing 1,500 rushing yards.
One final hurdle remains: If the Ravens win the Super Bowl, Henry will receive another $500,000 check.
Even if he does cash in the entire $10 million per year deal that he could theoretically get, the move has to be considered extremely well done for Baltimore, especially if he’s hoisting a trophy in February.
Henry’s Impact on the Ravens
The Ravens offense is among the best in the league and it is hard to argue about the impact Henry has had on making that the case. While Lamar Jackson comes in as the best quarterback this year, according to PFN’s QB+ metric, Henry’s boost helped Baltimore rank second in PFN’s Offense+ metric.
On the season, he totaled 1,921 rushing yards — second only to Philadelphia Eagles phenom Saquon Barkley. He added 16 touchdowns for Baltimore, the most among all running backs. But for the Ravens, his biggest contribution was going to come from a wins standpoint.
He was critical in Baltimore having a 12-5 record going into the postseason as the No. 3 seed. And in its first game, a Wild Card Round matchup against heat Division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Henry showed out.
Totaling 186 yards, it was the second-highest mark of his playoff career and the highest in five years. It gave the Ravens all the juice they needed to win 28-14 and advance to the Divisional Round.
But, the job isn’t done just yet. All season the Ravens have vied for that Super Bowl trophy. If they are to run through the upcoming postseason gauntlet, Henry is going to figure heavily into their plans. That continues on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.