Last year’s division winners, Baltimore made a big addition in free agency with King Henry
In the 2023 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns found themselves in pursuit of both health and the Baltimore Ravens at the summit of the AFC North. Ultimately, the Browns finished two games behind the Ravens, who had already secured the AFC North title by Week 17, leaving Cleveland with nothing to play for in Week 18.
During NFL free agency, the Browns largely retained their roster from 2023 with a few new additions. In contrast, the Ravens witnessed the departure of several veterans. Seeking to fill the void left by departed running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, the Ravens made their most significant offseason addition in Derrick Henry.
With Keaton Mitchell recuperating from a late-season knee injury, Baltimore is pinning its hopes on Derrick Henry to reinvigorate a run game that lacked a 1,000-yard rusher and primarily relied on QB Lamar Jackson.
Considering his track record against them, it’s unlikely that the Browns’ defense will be overly concerned. In five career matchups against the Browns, all during his tenure with the Tennessee Titans, Henry amassed just 184 yards on 60 carries, scoring one touchdown and averaging a modest 3.07 yards per carry. Throughout his career, “King Henry” boasted a 4.7 yards per carry average with the Titans and nearly 80 yards per game.
Indeed, Derrick Henry’s per-game average against Cleveland was significantly lower, but it’s worth noting that one of those games occurred during his rookie season when he had only two carries.
As Henry approaches 30 years old, with his 31st birthday looming in early January, he has accumulated a substantial workload over the years. With over 2,000 carries to his name, including three seasons surpassing the dreaded 300-carry mark, Henry has certainly amassed a significant number of miles on his tires. Among active running backs, only Ezekiel Elliott has more career carries, albeit by a narrow margin (only 35 carries ahead of Henry).
Another 300-carry season would position Henry just behind Browns legend Jim Brown for 30th in career carries in NFL history—a testament to the durability and workload he has shouldered throughout his career.