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Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call
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- Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call
There are not many things left for running back Derrick Henry to accomplish.
He's a multi-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler. He's won the NFL regular season rushing crown twice, received the league's Offensive Player of the Year award in 2020 and leads all active players in career rushing yards. One major accomplishment that eludes Henry, though, is a Super Bowl.
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It's the same notable omission from two-time MVP Lamar Jackson 's resume.
The two instantly formed one of the NFL's top duos in Henry's first season in Baltimore , which necessitated a two-year extension for the running back that he inked Monday. But Henry and Jackson's stellar year leading the Ravens ended unceremoniously in Buffalo in the divisional round.
More: Derrick Henry, Ravens agree to two-year extension
"I really enjoyed last season a lot," Henry said to reporters after he signed his two-year extension. "I was in Tennessee for eight years and then being able to play alongside a player like Lamar, best player in the league. It was just dynamic and a lot of fun. There are a lot of young guys on offense and on this team, so I feel like they give me youth and give me a lot of energy. Last year was a lot of fun. We accomplished winning the division, got into the playoffs, but ultimately, we came up short. It's a lot of fuel that should go into this season. Guys should be motivated. I'm motivated and hungry to get ready for the next one."
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The Ravens are taking a bit of a gamble on Henry. His two-year extension is worth $30 million . It's the largest contract ever for a running back over the age of 30. Henry, who turned 31 in January, is now signed through the 2027 season.
It goes against the NFL's conventional wisdom to sign a running back north of 30 to a contract. Yet, Henry hasn't shown any signs of slippage.
The downhill running back amassed 1,921 rushing yards and tied an NFL-high with 16 rushing touchdowns in his first year with the Ravens. His rushing yards output was the second most ever by a Ravens running back in a single season, it was also the second most in the NFL last year. Henry and Jackson led the Ravens to the NFL's No. 1 rushing attack, averaging just over 187 yards per contest in 2024.
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"I think he fits our identity as an organization. I think he fits Baltimore as a city and what the city stands for. When you watch him play and you watch the Ravens play, when you always watched the Ravens play, it was always dominating and physical. When you watch Derrick run, it's dominating and physical. When you think about our city, we're dominating and physical. I think he just fits everything about Baltimore and the Ravens organization," Ravens running back coach Willie Taggart told reporters. "He just fit everything about us."
Taggart isn't concerned about Henry's age, either.
"Just to watch him out there, you don't see a downside," the RB coach said. "He's still getting stronger, if you ask me."
Recent evidence suggests Taggart is correct. Henry's 1,921 rushing yards last season were the most ever by a player 30 or older in NFL history. Plus, he averaged a playoff-high 135 rushing yards during Baltimore's postseason run.
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But what will ultimately determine whether Baltimore made the correct decision by re-signing Henry is the team's playoff success going forward, especially following a disappointing playoff defeat against the Bills.
"I think you never get over it. I think you just deal with it, because that's just what it is. And when you get the opportunity again, try to make it a different outcome, especially on my part, how I play," Henry said looking back on the loss. "I think everybody who's on this team feels that same way."
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Henry has a 4-5 career playoff record. He made it as far as the AFC Championship as a member of the Tennessee Titans . Meanwhile, Jackson is 3-5 in his postseason career.
Henry's contract value on an annual basis makes him the fourth highest-paid running back in the NFL. Jackson was the highest-paid player in football when he signed an extension in 2023. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh publicly stated this offseason that the quarterback will again be the top-earning player in the NFL when he puts pen to paper on another extension.
"The value is the top. When Lamar gets paid, he's going to be the highest paid player in football, just like he was last time," Harbaugh said to reporters at the NFL league meetings in March .
The Ravens are investing a lot of money in their two main offensive pieces. Now both have to assist each other to achieve what's missing from their already stellar careers.
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"Derrick works hard. It's important to him," Taggart said. "He wants to win a Super Bowl. I know he's going to do everything he can to help this football team to accomplish that."
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Playoff success will decide if Derrick Henry's extension was justified
