The Tennessee Titans seem to be entering rebuild mode around Will Levis after firing Mike Vrabel, which could push away franchise legend Derrick Henry. As Henry looks to chase a championship, the Baltimore Ravens might be able to give him the role he desires with a contender.
With Gus Edwards hitting the open market, Henry is an upgraded version with plenty of juice left in the tank. Even with names like Justin Madubuike and Patrick Queen becoming free agents, Baltimore needs to address the running back position in either the draft or early stages of free agency.
There may be no better running back on the market than Henry, as age hasn't seemed to blunt his effectiveness. Former Ravens linebacker and current ESPN analyst Bart Scott seems to believe that Henry could be the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle that eventually looks like a Lombardi trophy being hoisted in Baltimore.
"To me, it looks like a Derrick Henry-type of team, in my opinion," Scott said. "You go sign a guy like Derrick Henry and ask him if he's ready to win a Super Bowl or try and win the Super Bowl." Even if you're in the "don't pay a running back" crowd, Henry is a clear upgrade over what Baltimore has now.
The Ravens lead the way in the Derrick Henry sweepstakes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RxbagS0avJ
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) February 14, 2024
Bart Scott says Baltimore Ravens should sign Derrick Henry
The fact that a year in which he recorded 1,381 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns with a bad offense around him is a down year for Henry speaks to how amazing he has been with the Titans. Baltimore's offensive line, even with all their free agents, is much better than Tennessee's unit.
The symbiotic relationship Henry and Lamar Jackson would have with one another could be nigh unstoppable when they're both in a groove. Henry's explosion is night and day compared to Edwards, which could take some of the creation load off Jackson's plate.
The workload concerns for a 30-year-old are valid. Henry has led the league in carries four times in five years, and he would have done so in 2021 had he played more than eight games. Those concerns can be alleviated when you consider he was still ripping off big plays behind a terrible offensive line. That is where he differs from Dalvin Cook after he joined the Jets.
Henry is going to land with a contender next year, as he's been too consistently excellent for too long. If the Ravens listen to Scott, they could beat everyone else to the punch and land a potential Hall of Fame player.