Year after year, the Baltimore Ravens prove to be one of the best-run franchises in the NFL, complete on both sides of the ball and always in the hunt to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Last year was no different. The Ravens finished the regular season with a 13-4 record, good enough for the #1 seed in the AFC. Lamar Jackson was named the NFL MVP for the second time in his young career, and the Ravens finished with the league's best defense and 4th-best offense. But when the postseason rolled around, Baltimore fell short of their Super Bowl goal yet again.
There's no guarantee that Baltimore will find themselves in a similar position again this year. The loss of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald will hurt more than most casual fans realize, and there's no guarantee that Lamar Jackson will go a second-consecutive season without an injury costing him multiple games. But to make up for some of that uncertainty, the Ravens signed one of the most certain stars in the NFL… running back Derrick Henry.
Only seventeen running backs in NFL history have rushed for more yards through their first eight seasons in the league than Derrick Henry has, and consider that Henry didn't become the full-time starter in Tennessee until his third season in the league. King Henry has topped the 1,000 yard mark in five of the last six seasons, and in the one season he didn't he was well on his way, but limited to only eight games.
Yes, it's reasonable to believe that Derrick Henry, now 30 years old, is past his prime. Last year he did show signs of slippage. But based on how he's looking heading into this season, it's hard to imagine a physical specimen more prepared for the grind of a seventeen game NFL schedule than him.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that I don't know if I've ever seen a more impressive looking human being than Derrick Henry, and in fairness, he looks like his DNA is made up of at least 30% tractor. This is a mack truck disguised as a man running the football, making very fast, very strong, and very talented grown men look helpless in his presence. It's a sight to behold, and for good reason, Ravens fans must be excited about what he'll look like in the backfield with Lamar Jackson.
What to expect from Derrick Henry and the Ravens offense?
Honestly, probably more of the same. In the six seasons since Lamar Jackson was selected with the 32nd pick in the NFL Draft, Baltimore has finished 2nd, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st in rushing yards per game. With the addition of a bell-cow running back like Derrick Henry, there's not much reason to think that Baltimore will slip much, if at all, from last season. With that said, under second-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken, there could a few new wrinkles and an increased emphasis on the passing game.
Last year, Lamar Jackson set new personal bests with 457 pass attempts and 3,678 yards, in addition to 821 yards on the ground. The jump in passing attempts and efficiency was what Ravens fans expected when former offensive coordinator Greg Roman was replaced by Monken. Roman, in all of his years as an offensive coordinator, has never once presided over an offense that finished in the top ten in passing yards. In fact, only once in his career (2021) has he been the offensive coordinator of a team that didn't finish in the bottom ten in passing yards per game.
On top of the coaching change, Baltimore has also upgraded their skill pass-catching weapons they've surrounded Lamar Jackson with. Wide receiver Zay Flowers showed glimpses of stardom during his rookie season, and Baltimore took Devontez Walker this year in the 4th round of the NFL Draft. Factor in a tight end duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, who combined for 75 receptions, 955 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, and there's plenty of reason to believe the Ravens could be even more dynamic in the passing game this year.
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