Derrick Henry made sure his first year with the Baltimore Ravens was unforgettable. After signing a two-year, $16 million deal with the Ravens, he went out and put together one of the most dominant rushing seasons in NFL history.
Henry racked up 1,921 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, led the league in missed tackles forced (78), and earned a PFF rushing grade of 93.5, the highest ever recorded by the site. For a 30-year-old “past his prime,” he sure didn’t look like one.
But there’s a catch. Henry’s deal runs through 2025, and while he’s expressed interest in staying in Baltimore long-term, a new deal won’t come cheap. The Philadelphia Eagles just made Saquon Barkley the league’s highest-paid running back at over $20 million per year, and Henry’s production was right there with him—even better in some metrics. That looming payday could get tricky.
The Ravens might be enjoying Henry’s reign of terror for now, but smart front offices plan ahead. And Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton just gave them a very pointed reminder.
It's time for the Ravens to start looking for King Henry’s heir
As part of a one-sentence advice exercise for all 32 teams, Moton kept it simple when it came to Baltimore:
“Derrick Henry has one more year left on his deal, so make sure to draft a rookie running back early in a strong class.”
That one sentence? It might end up shaping Baltimore’s entire draft weekend.
The Ravens won’t take a running back in the first round, not with needs on the edge and in the secondary. But a Day 2 or early Day 3 selection? That’s a different story. The 2025 draft class is pretty deep at running back, and Baltimore could find a high-upside complement (and potential successor) to Henry without blowing up their draft plans.
Names like Cam Skattebo (Arizona State), Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State), and Dylan Sampson (Tennessee) all project as plug-and-play contributors in the right system. But if the Ravens want a true sleeper who fits their power-run DNA, Kaleb Johnson from Iowa should be on the shortlist.
Johnson runs with authority, has excellent burst through the line, and is built to thrive behind Baltimore’s gap-heavy scheme. He’s not a polished third-down option just yet, but that’s fine. The Ravens have Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell to fill in where needed.
Drafting a back now doesn’t mean Baltimore’s moving on from Henry. It just means they’re preparing. The next great Ravens running back might be sitting right there in Round 3, waiting to learn behind one of the best ever.