In an era where elite running backs are a dime a dozen and not looked at with much value, the Baltimore Ravens are among the few organizations still holding the position in high regard. From Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and now Derrick Henry, Baltimore prioritizes running the football.
Eric DeCosta stole Henry last offseason, as he went on to help shoulder the offensive load with quarterback Lamar Jackson. At the age of 30 and expected to slow down, Henry was a machine that kept going.
In his first season with Baltimore, Henry rushed for 1,921 yards and scored 16 rushing touchdowns. Not bad for a running back that people thought was on the decline. Henry showed no signs of slowing down even as the season dragged on and he got older, rushing for 138 yards and two touchdowns on his 31st birthday in a 35-10 Week 18 win over the Cleveland Browns.
As amazing as King Henry's season was, and career has been Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox doesn't believe he's the best 31-year-old in the league.
Derrick Henry is snubbed for best 31-year-old in B/R rankings
Even after a near-2,000-yard season and over 11,000 career rushing yards, Knox gave the nod to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans instead. Knox wrote:
"Kittle, Henry, and Evans are likely to be future Hall of Famers. Henry, who has led the league in rushing twice and been named Offensive Player of the Year once, may already have a spot in Canton secured. However, Evans can already considered one of the best receivers in league history."
"Great receivers are becoming easier to find. Ones who are as consistently great and for as long as Evans has been are a exceedingly rare."
There's no doubt how good Evans is, and he's done it with multiple quarterbacks throughout his career, including Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and even Mike Glennon. He's still up there with Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, and Amon-Ra St. Brown as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL today.
However, the feats Henry is overcoming are just different, especially in a position that isn't as valued as it once was just 15-20 years ago.
What Henry brings to the table is a throwback to those days of running backs, and he does it on a team that historically thrives at the position. He's 31, but for a running back, he's still got so much left in the tank, and he showed that in 2024. It's really impressive in today's NFL.