The Baltimore Ravens, who signed star running back Derrick Henry, are hoping to improve on their somewhat disappointing performance in the conference championship game this coming season. While there’s no denying that adding a player of Henry’s calibre to an already potent offence will intimidate any defence, offensive coordinator Todd Monken of the Ravens expressed to the media how much they want to use the 30-year-old running back.
The team website quotes Monken as saying, “I know this: If [Henry] carries it 300 times, we’re going to have a helluva year.” This was on Thursday. It indicates that we use it frequently. We’re up to date on our games.
The math seems pretty simple with Henry and Monken’s goal of 300 carries as every time the running back reached that many in a season, it has usually resulted in a stellar year. He has had three seasons with over 300 where the most recent was in 2022 where he had 349 that resulted in 1,538 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns.
Is Henry’s durability an issue for the Ravens?
In arguably his best season with the Tennessee Titans in 2020, he carried the ball 378 times where he rushed for 2,027 yards and racked in 17 touchdown scores. When Henry gets going, he is easily one of the best players at his position, but with his age, there could be concern of how much he plays as Monken expresses.
The Ravens have been known to not give a massive workload to one running back as even with last season, the carries were split between Hill, Mitchell, and especially Gus Edwards who is now with the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh expects Henry to run “for a lot of yards” according to On3.com.
“I think what it’s going to look like is what it looked like in Tennessee: him running for a lot of yards,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe even in some ways we’ll create some opportunities because we’re going to possibly spread the defense out just a little bit more. There won’t be as many eyes on him, maybe not as many helmets directed towards him when he gets the ball, and we’ll be able to create just a little more space for him.”
“First and foremost, like every player, we want him to make it through the season. It’s a long season – 17 games,” Monken said. “So, we’ll see how that goes. I mean, he’s been so durable.”
Lamar Jackson’s excitement level with new teammate in Henry
Last season with the Titans, which was his eighth season with the franchise, he rushed for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. If there is one player that should be the most excited to play with Henry, it is star quarterback Lamar Jackson who no doubt could be an even be more of an effective runner now that defenses have to worry about someone else.
“I just get the ball and [say], ‘Go, big guy, go.’ I’m cheering like the fans,” Jackson said
Henry talks about how move to Baltimore “made sense”
The Ravens are in win-now mode and the signing of Henry further proved it as they were very close last season as arguably being the best team in the league with the No. 1 seed in the AFC. However, they were knocked off by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference championship game as Henry said in his introductory press conference that “it made sense” to come to Baltimore.
“I felt like it made sense for me as well. I love their style of play, their culture, and the physicality they can play with as well,” Henry said. “I’ve been going against them for the last couple of years and I’m excited to be in the building to meet everybody, can’t wait to be a part of the team and my new teammates and get adapted to how they do things and help in any way, lead in any way and be the best team I can be.”
Henry explains “no-brainer” decision
He would go into detail why the fit with the Ravens attracted him, but being at his age, there is no doubt he wants to win a championship and there was no better team to go to. Henry would even say that it was a “no-brainer” decision as he was aiming a team that “had a solid foundation.”
“A no-brainer for me. This is where I knew I wanted to be,” Henry said. “I love the style, the physicality they play with on all three phases. I feel like it fits my style of play, as well. It was really a no-brainer. Just trying to figure out the business side of things, glad we were able to get it figured out.”
“I definitely wanted to be somewhere that had a solid foundation,” Henry continued. “This foundation has been set for a very long time. They compete every year and always in the conversation. I wanted to be somewhere where I’m surrounded by great talent, have a great quarterback and great players around him as well.”
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