Derrick Henry’s contract details with the Ravens: How much will the RB make in Baltimore?

In one of the fastest moves of this year’s NFL free agency, the Tennessee Titans running back was snapped up by the Baltimore Ravens. What that means is that he will now join a team that has already proven itself as the most potent threat on the ground in the league. That can’t be good.

The Ravens added another weapon in Derrick Henry

Here is some perspective for you: Last season the Baltimore Ravens averaged 156.5 rushing yards per game and yes, that was the most in the NFL. Keep in mind, that was despite J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1. Indeed, from Gus Edwards’ 810 yards and 13 touchdowns to quarterback Lamar Jackson’s disrespectful scrambling for 821 yards and five TDs, the Ravens mauled the league on the ground. Truthfully, it was on the back of the team’s work in traffic that they ended the season as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Now, you might argue that it was all for nothing as they lost the conference title game to the Kansas City Chiefs. On the other, hand one can’t deny that the Ravens are within touching distance of a Super Bowl title. With Derrick Henry now on board, it appears the franchise is intent on finishing the job.

So, what does Derrick Henry’s contract look like?

As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 30-year-old running back has put pen to paper on a two-year, $16 million contract. It is understood that the deal could increase to as much as $20 million with $9 million guaranteed in the first season should he meet all incentives. With that Henry will now take the field alongside starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for the first time in their respective careers and quite frankly, that’s a scary prospect for the AFC North.

In terms of how we got here, it was the departure of the above-mentioned Gus Edwards that created the need for a replacement in the Ravens’ running back department. Then, we had the Titans’ acquisition of Dallas’ Tony Pollard on a three-year deal on Monday, which effectively pushed Henry out the door. Now, we have the creation of possibly the most dangerous combination in the NFL in quite some time. Interestingly, there has been considerable movement where running backs are concerned since free agency started, with no less than 10 securing deals on the opening two days of the period. Yet, it goes without saying that Henry’s move is the biggest.

Incidentally, Henry wasn’t at his best this past season with a career-low in yards per carry (4.2), but standing at 6′3″ and weighing in at 247 pounds, it would be a mistake to not think of him as one of the most serious threats on the ground in the league. To be clear, the former Alabama star finished with the most rushing yards in the NFL on two occasions. Ultimately, it would be fair to say that the NFL was just put on notice. After all, we’re talking about a team that was one win away from a Super Bowl title, and the reason they didn’t clinch it was largely due to their struggles on the ground. In Henry, they’ve likely remedied that problem.