Willie Henry:
To start off our list is a player with so much upside that simply can’t stay healthy in defensive lineman Willie Henry. Henry, a fourth round pick back in 2016, has given us dominate flashes of a guy who can wreck offensive linemen and generate pressure from the trenches.
When looking at the team’s defensive line, it’s hard to imagine letting someone like that walk. After all, most of the unit specializes in eating blocks and stuffing the run. For Henry, his game has shown us he can be a well-rounded, but terrifying pass rusher on the d-line.
Unfortunately, Henry’s inability to remain healthy has been his ultimate undoing, and is the main reason he will likely leave Baltimore before the season even starts. This sucks for him, because it’s nearly impossible to control your health, and injuries are always untimely. Still, it’s because of the injuries that Henry has shown unreliability, and his absences on the field will cost him his spot with the Ravens.
It certainly doesn’t help that Baltimore is constantly addressing their defensive line in the off-season. The group is already talented with Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce headlining the unit, but the team spent a fifth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Daylon Mack and then immediately signed Gerald Willis III as a UDFA following the conclusion of said draft.
It’s not fair, but Willie Henry has perhaps seen his final days as a Raven. Thankfully, his talent will get him a tryout elsewhere and we will have no problem cheering for him to succeed.