Derrick Henry

NFL Contract Notes: Henry, Barkley, Smith, Reddick, Hubbard

Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been enjoying a phenomenal first season in Baltimore. The team signed him to a two-year, $16MM deal that saw him receive $9MM in cash in the first year. Henry’s deal also came with five $500K incentives.

His incentives are maxed out at $2MM, so he can only cash in on four of those five incentives, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. So far this year, Henry has hit on three incentives: 1,200 rushing yards, 13 total touchdowns, and 15 total touchdowns.

The remaining two incentives would require him to reach 1,500 rushing yards or would require the team to win the Super Bowl. While the Ravens still have a ways to go in order to get to the big game, Henry only needs 93 yards in the team’s final four games in order to max out his incentives.

Here are a few other contract notes from around the NFL:

  • Eagles running back Saquon Barkley also is tracking down some incentives. Smartly, none of Barkley’s incentives revolve around rushing touchdowns, thanks to the infamous “tush push,” per Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. Barkley will earn $250K if he reaches 1,500 scrimmage yards (he’s 36 yards away from that total after today’s game in Baltimore) and an additional $250K if he reaches 2,000. Additionally, each incentive acts as an escalator for next year’s base salary, adding a potential $1MM to his total contract value. He also would receive $250K for a second-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection and $500K for a first-team All-Pro selection. That incentive would act as an escalator for next year, as well. Lastly, Barkley would earn $250K each for victories in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.
  • Jets left tackle Tyron Smith may have just been placed on injured reserve, but his health up to that point had been paying dividends. His recent injury history required him to settle for a heavily incentivized contract with only $6.5MM in base salary and $12MM in playing time incentives. By playing every snap through nine games, Smith essentially qualified for the 50% of offensive snaps threshold that earns him $2.75MM. Every additional game after that would essentially net him an additional $1MM, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, with the final five games being worth $1.25MM per week. Unfortunately, he only fit one game in before moving to IR. He could make his way back to earn a couple more incentives, but New York may prefer to get an extended look at their tackle of the future, Olu Fashanu, instead.
  • Also in New York, pass rusher Haason Reddick still has an opportunity to earn some playing time incentives after ending his holdout, per Cimini. Through the four games (before today) Reddick has appeared in, he has played 179 of 275 defensive snaps, good for about 43 percent. If he can keep that percentage over 40, he’ll earn a $791,628 incentive bonus, but his last two games have seen him only play 37 percent of the team’s snaps, so that bonus may be in danger. Reddick could also earn a $500K bonus if he reaches eight sacks, but with only 0.5 sacks through five games with only five more remaining, that incentive feels out of reach.
  • Lastly, we saw the Panthers reward running back Chuba Hubbard with a recent four-year, $33.2MM extension. Per our friends at OvertheCap.com, the deal comes with a signing bonus of $7.71MM and only sees the first year’s base salary guaranteed.

Jerry Jones Criticizes Cowboys’ Offensive Scheme

Jerry Jones‘ frustration with the Cowboys’ offense boiled over into public criticism of the team’s scheme under head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

We’re designing bad plays, or we’re designing bad concepts,” Jones said, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS.

The Cowboys finished the 2023 season with the most points and fifth-most yards in the league. Their offense has taken a significant step back this year, ranking 20th in points per game (21.0) and 12th in yards per game (336.5), with an anemic running game producing just 77.2 rushing yards per game and two total touchdowns, both dead-last in the NFL. Dak Prescott is still fourth in the league with 267 passing yards per game, though his six interceptions are the third-most.

However, the Cowboys have not been efficient through the air or on the ground, ranking in the bottom 11 in both EPA/pass and EPA/rush, per NextGen Stats (subscription required). That has especially been an issue in the red zone, where Dallas has converted just six touchdowns on 16 total trips (37.5%), the second-lowest rate in the league.

McCarthy, of course, is the rare HC on a lame-duck contact. Jones cited the wild-card loss to the Packers as the reason why McCarthy is back without an extension. Bill Belichick rumors emerged at different points during the offseason, and this figures to be one of the teams the coaching legend-turned-omnipresent media figure monitors ahead of the 2025 coaching carousel.

The Cowboys declined to add high-level playmakers in free agency or the draft this offseason, re-signing Ezekiel Elliott instead of pursuing Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rushing for the Ravens. Jones was asked about Henry on 105.3 The Fan and shot down any ideas that the All-Pro could have helped the Cowboys’ offense.

Derrick is having a career year. I don’t know if he’d be having a career year in our situation,” said Jones, via The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. “We don’t run that type of offense at all.” Jones also blamed the salary cap for his inability to offer Henry a competitive contract, though his $8MM-per-year average was only the fifth-highest among running back free agent contracts signed this offseason.

Dallas most recently suffered a 47-9 embarrassment at the hands of the Lions, who held the Cowboys to just 251 total yards and a measly 3.9 yards per play while committing five turnovers. They travel to San Francisco in Week 8 to play the 49ers on Sunday, where a win will be paramount to keeping up with the Commanders and the Eagles in the NFC East.

AFC South Notes: Henry, Titans, OL, Jaguars, Peters, Colts, DBs, Smith, Texans

As could be expected, Ran Carthon pushed back on the rumor he was overruled on trading Derrick Henry before last year’s deadline. A recent report said the Titans GM had a deal in place to send Henry elsewhere for a fourth-round pick — one with the potential to become a third — only to be denied. It is worth noting Carthon did not have full autonomy in his first year, with Mike Vrabel still in the mix, but does now. The second-year GM did say (via veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky) multiple teams made offers for the two-time rushing champion last year. Carthon said no agreement was ultimately finalized on a trade. The Ravens were closely connected to the perennial 1,000-yard rusher, and the Titans ultimately agreed to move on this offseason — after a memorable Henry on-field farewell address — leading Henry to Baltimore.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Amid a widespread effort to retain their own talent this offseason, the Colts did not make a notable addition at cornerback. They have low-end investments — seventh-rounder Jaylon Jones, UDFA Dallis Flowers — as the primary contenders to start opposite JuJu Brents, while Kenny Moore mans the slot. The Colts are also preparing for 2022 third-rounder Nick Cross to become a full-time starter at safety alongside Julian Blackmon. GM Chris Ballard said (via The Athletic’s James Boyd) the team could “definitely” make a move to add a veteran DB, but that is not the plan right now. Indianapolis will continue to assess its in-house options before diving into the free agent or trade markets here.
  • Both Brents and right tackle Braden Smith underwent offseason surgery, per Boyd and Fox59’s Mike Chappell. Smith, who is entering his seventh season as Indy’s right tackle, underwent knee surgery this offseason. Brents, a 2023 second-rounder, had cleanup ankle surgery. The Kansas State product missed eight games last season, returning for the Colts’ final four contests after missing the previous six. Smith missed seven games last year. Neither player landed on Indy’s active/PUP list this week.
  • On the subject of offseason procedures, Titans RT hopeful Nicholas Petit-Frere underwent cleanup knee surgery, per ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport. Petit-Frere, who saw a shoulder malady end his 2023 season shortly after he was reinstated from a gambling suspension, remains on Tennessee’s active/PUP list following the knee procedure. The Titans’ primary RT starter in 2022, Petit-Frere is attempting to reclaim his job under new O-line coach Bill Callahan. The former third-rounder may well be favored to do so.
  • Adding Stefon Diggs gives the Texans receiving depth to the point multiple trade candidates may emerge. Still, the team sought some additional help by working out former Eagles contributor Greg Ward, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. A former Houston Cougars QB, Ward has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 and spent part of last season on Philly’s practice squad.
  • The Jaguars made some notable hires recently, adding longtime Cardinals exec Josh Scobey and recently retired DT Corey Peters to their front office. Both will join the organization as college scouts. Not to be confused with ex-Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee, Scobey — an ex-NFL running back — spent the past 12 seasons as a Cardinals scout before an offseason separation. He finished his tenure as the team’s director of college scouting. After interviewing with the Titans, Scobey is with the Jags. Peters finished his career with the Jaguars in 2022, joining the team during GM Trent Baalke‘s first season in charge. Peters was with the Cardinals during much of Scobey’s Arizona stay. The Jags also added Mimi Bolden-Morris and Austin Leake as scouting assistants and announced Antonio Robinson‘s elevation to a college scouting post.

Titans GM Ran Carthon Was Overruled On 2023 Derrick Henry Trade

As expected, Derrick Henry‘s Titans tenure came to an end this spring. The two-time rushing champion signed a deal with the Ravens as part of the flood of running back deals worked out early in free agency.

It came as no surprise that Henry would up in Baltimore considering the connections between the two parties which dated back to the 2023 trade deadline. Even after the deadline passed for his contract to be restructured, the Ravens were named as a team to watch on the trade front. No deal was finalized, but an agreement was in place between Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta and his Tennessee counterpart.

Ran Carthon agreed to a trade price on Henry of a fourth-round pick with the potential to become a third-rounder, Dan Pompei of The Athletic notes (subscription required). He adds, however, that “others in the Titans hierarchy” did not approve of the swap. As a result, Henry finished out the campaign in Tennessee, offering a public, on-field farewell to the organization after the regular season finale.

The news of Carthon being overruled is particularly interesting since he left the door open to a re-signing ahead of free agency. Instead, the Titans were among the teams which moved quickly in adding a different veteran back (Tony Pollard) to pair with Tyjae Spears. That tandem will be tasked with helping second-year quarterback Will Levis develop in his first full season as a starter while Henry begins the second phase of his decorated career.

The 30-year-old took a two-year deal with the Ravens as questions linger with respect to his longevity. Henry’s age is past that at which many high-profile backs begin to slow down, and his massive workload (at least 215 carries in each of the past six seasons) was no doubt a concern for potential free agent suitors. The four-time Pro Bowler will shoulder lead back duties in Baltimore after J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards departed in free agency.

Especially with Keaton Mitchell expected to miss the beginning of the 2024 season, Henry will be counted on early and often with his new team. The former Offensive Player of the Year told Pompei he plans to continue his career for the foreseeable future, with his fitness obviously playing a big role in his ability to do so. He did add, though, that winning a Super Bowl could alter his long-term thinking. Henry’s ability to repeat his Tennessee success in Baltimore will be a key storyline to follow as the 2024 season unfolds.

RB Derrick Henry Addresses Ravens Deal

Derrick Henry is in place atop the Ravens’ depth chart entering 2024, after he became one of several running backs who quickly found new homes in free agency. When reflecting on his Baltimore deal, he confirmed that was his preferred destination.

“For the record, Baltimore was always my No. 1 option,” Henry said during an appearance on the Jim Rome Show (audio link). “That’s always where I wanted to go. And like I said, I know the trade talks [during the season], it was almost going to happen, but I didn’t know once free agency started if they still felt the same way until I talked to my agent to see what was really going on.”

Indeed, the Ravens remained a top suitor for the former Offensive Player of the Year. Team and player worked out a two-year agreement worth up to $20MM in short order, giving Baltimore a new lead back. Henry had contemplated a deal sending him to the Cowboys, owing to the fact he lives in Dallas during the offseason and the departure of Tony Pollard. The Cowboys never made contact about a deal, however, leaving the 30-year-old free to join a Ravens team known for relying on a run-first offense.

“I just felt like it fit, their culture, what they’re all about,” Henry added. “I feel like it fits my style of play, and I just felt like it was going to be destined at some point… You know you feel like you’ve got a feeling about something, it just feels like it’s meant to be? That’s what I felt about Baltimore.”

Henry, a two-time rushing champion, will handle lead back duties in 2024 on a Ravens team which lost Gus Edwards and has seen J.K. Dobbins go unsigned well into free agency. The team does have Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell on the books, though the latter is rehabbing an ACL tear. As a result, the Ravens could very well be in the market for a backfield addition later this month.

General manager Eric DeCosta confirmed during a Tuesday press conference (via the team’s website) there is a “strong chance” Baltimore drafts a running back this year. Other positions – such as offensive line, cornerback and edge rusher – represent more urgent roster priorities as things stand. With nine selections, though, the Ravens will have the chance to use Day 2 or 3 to add a rookie behind Henry in the team’s new-look backfield.

Cowboys Never Pursued RB Derrick Henry

With Derrick Henry owning a home in Dallas and the Cowboys eyeing a new running backs corps in 2024, there seemed to be a natural connection between the two sides when the veteran hit free agency. Instead, Henry ended up signing with the Ravens, and during a recent appearance on “Schein on Sports,” the running back admitted that the Cowboys never reached out.

[RELATED: Ravens To Sign RB Derrick Henry]

“The Cowboys never called at all,” Henry said (h/t Lawrence Dow of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Yahoo). “That’s where I stay in the offseason. I’m kind of on the back end of my career and that’s a great organization. It would’ve been a great opportunity, but I’m thankful that I ended up here in Baltimore.”

The Cowboys were mentioned as a “dark horse” suitor for Henry back at the trade deadline, but a move never materialized. As Henry’s contract expired and Tony Pollard hit free agency, it seemed like this would be the time for the Cowboys to pounce.

Instead, the organization hasn’t done anything to address the depth they’ve lost at RB in recent years. Pollard led their backfield in 2023, and the organization moved on from offensive stalwart Ezekiel Elliott last offseason. At the moment, 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn is expected to lead the depth chart, with the team also rostering Malik Davis and Snoop Conner.

While the cash-strapped Cowboys have been quiet this week, it wouldn’t have taken a massive commitment to sign Henry. The deal was described as a two-year, $16MM deal with $20MM upside. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has more details on that contract.

In 2024, Henry will earn a guaranteed $1.21MM salary in addition to a $7.79MM signing bonus. In 2025, that salary will jump to $5MM, and Henry will be due $1MM via a roster bonus in March. There’s an additional $2MM that Henry can earn each season via incentives.

Ravens To Sign RB Derrick Henry

A rumored fit for several months, the Ravens-Derrick Henry partnership is coming to fruition. The two-time rushing champion is committing to Baltimore, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

The Ravens will give Henry a two-year, $16MM deal, per Schefter, who adds the longtime Titans starter can earn up to $20MM with the AFC North team. The Ravens are guaranteeing Henry $9MM, making this look more like a pay-as-you-go pact. But the 30-year-old back has an interesting opportunity ahead, joining the team that soared to the AFC’s top seed last season.

Hovering as a potential Hall of Famer, Henry has been one of this era’s premier backs. He is coming off a fifth 1,000-yard season. While mileage should be a concern for the Ravens, the former Heisman winner has shrugged off workload-based fears in the past. After losing Gus Edwards to the Chargers, the Ravens will make a bigger payment to see how Henry looks alongside Lamar Jackson.

Closely linked to Henry at last year’s deadline, the Ravens stood pat and continued with their in-house setup. The team lost Keaton Mitchell to a late-season ACL tear, which came three months after J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season in Week 1. Dobbins is unsigned, and Mitchell is rehabbing. At long last, Henry will be part of the Ravens’ equation.

2023 saw the Alabama product earn a fourth career Pro Bowl, although his workload experienced a notable decline. Splitting time with third-round rookie Tyjae Spears, Henry averaged 16.5 carries per games last season. That marked the first time since 2018 that he logged less than 20 totes per contest, a sign that he may not be able to handle the same workload moving forward as he did in his prime. Still, Henry will be positioned to operate on plenty of early downs as well as goal-line situations if the Ravens make no further RB moves.

General manager Eric DeCosta made it clear at the Combine that backfield additions would be a priority for Baltimore, the league’s top rushing team from last season. New deals for Edwards and/or Dobbins were on the table, but that will not be the case for at least the former. The latter’s chances of remaining in Baltimore for 2024 have also taken a hit given today’s move. Midseason pickup Dalvin Cook is a pending free agent, and he could be enticed to look elsewhere after being used sparingly in his brief Ravens tenure.

The Ravens were linked to other backs prior to this unsurprising Henry agreement, including reported serious interest in Saquon Barkley. The Eagles ultimately agreed to a longer, more lucrative pact than this Henry one, though, and finances were no doubt a concern for a Ravens team which entered Tuesday marginally over the cap. Still, more cost-effective options were available for Baltimore, so the team’s investment marks a notable commitment to the top of its backfield depth chart.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Ravens Remain Interested In Derrick Henry; RB Was On Texans’ Radar

The running back landscape changed dramatically on Monday, with nearly every high-profile free agent at the position lining up a deal with a new team. One obvious exception is Derrick Henry. Nothing is imminent in his case, but multiple suitors are still in play for the former rushing champion.

The Texans and Ravens remain interested in Henry, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The Titans stalwart has been in discussion with Baltimore as well as other teams during the opening period of the negotiating window, Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds. A number of teams have vacancies at the RB spot after yesterday’s agreements, and both the Texans and Ravens could stand to add a back of Henry’s caliber.

Baltimore has only two running backs under contract the moment: Keaton Mitchell, who flashed potential when on the field as a rookie in 2023 but suffered an ACL tear, and Justice Hill, who has traditionally operated as a third back. Gus Edwards is set to depart once free agency officially opens, having agreed to a two-year deal with the Chargers on Monday. J.K. Dobbins – whose career has been marred by a pair of major injuries – is a free agent.

Houston, meanwhile, is set to lose Devin Singletary. After taking over as lead back midway through the 2023 campaign, Singletary upped his value compared to the one-year deal he played on last season, landing an agreement with the Giants to serve as Saquon Barkley‘s replacement. The Texans have Dameon Pierce in place, and the team has worked out a trade for ex-Bengals starter Joe Mixon.

With Houston (presumably) no longer in the Henry market, attention will likely increasingly shift Baltimore’s way. The Ravens are projected to be marginally over the cap at the moment; all teams are required to be cap compliant by the start of the new league year tomorrow afternoon. Baltimore’s offseason to date has consisted mainly of losing contributors from last year’s team, but a Henry addition would certainly represent a notable addition on offense.

Titans Rumors: Henry, Skoronski, QB

For the last few weeks, it has seemed like a foregone conclusion that veteran running back Derrick Henry is leaving Tennessee, with many even tracking the potential sale of his Nashville home and the purchase of a new home Dallas, where he has trained for years in the offseason. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler delivered the report many Titans fans were fearing today, claiming a low likelihood for Henry to return to Tennessee in 2024. He claims “the door is not completely closed,” but all signs continue to point towards the nearest exit.

The 30-year-old rusher heads to free agency as arguably the best running back option available in a loaded group. According to projected market values on Spotrac.com, Henry is poised to make the most in 2024 out of a position group that includes the likes of Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift, Austin Ekeler, and Tony Pollard. The site projects Henry to be the only one of that group to make north of $10MM in 2024.

The two-time NFL rushing leader and 2020 Offensive Player of the Year was connected to the Ravens before the trade deadline and has continued to be linked to Baltimore since projections for his departure began. Plenty of other teams will vie for Henry after he finished second in the league last season with 1,167 rushing yards.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Tennessee:

  • At the NFL scouting combine last week, new head coach Brian Callahan had an opportunity to speak in front of the media. Callahan spoke on one of his young, new players, offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, in Indianapolis, stating that he believes that offensive guard is Skoronski’s best position. Despite spending 2022 as college football’s most dominant pass blocker as an offensive tackle at Northwestern, Skoronski fell victim to concerns about his 32-inch arms, considered too short for an NFL tackle. After getting selected No. 11 overall by Tennessee, Skoronski would go on to become the Titans starting left guard, where he would grade out as the league’s 29th best guard out of 79 graded players. Whether or not Skoronski has aspirations of kicking out to tackle at the NFL level, it sounds like Callahan intends to keep him inside.
  • Lastly, Titans general manager Ran Carthon made headlines when making the statement recently that the team intends to bring in another quarterback to compete this offseason, according to Titans staff writer Jim Wyatt. With long-time veteran starter Ryan Tannehill‘s contract expiring, the team is left with only second-year starter Will Levis and former third-round pick Malik Willis at quarterback. The team apparently feels generally comfortable heading into the year with Levis as the penciled-in starter, and Carthon believes Willis has developed over his two years in the league. Still, Tennessee will want to bring in some competition. It’s unclear if they want someone like Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield to come in and compete for a starting job or if they would rather bring in someone like Jacoby Brissett or Tyrod Taylor, who could serve as a more reliable backup should Levis be injured or fail to play up to par. This seems like a perfect opportunity for Joe Flacco, who, since leaving Baltimore, has made a point to pursue jobs in which he has a strong chance of starting games. Regardless, there should be some new faces in red jerseys at camp this summer.

RBs A Priority For Ravens In Offseason

We noted something similar back in February, but the Ravens have made it clear lately that additions to the running backs group will be a priority in the offseason. Whether that comes through re-signing expiring deals, signing veteran free agents, or pursuing a rookie prospect, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic’s quote from general manager Eric DeCosta says it best: (they) need more than two running backs.

The Ravens have lots of work to do in the coming weeks with expiring contracts all over their 2023 roster, but DeCosta is fully aware of which potential departures leave them most bare. Both former undrafted veteran Gus Edwards and former second-round pick J.K. Dobbins are set to hit free agency this spring, as will late-season addition Dalvin Cook and practice squad backs Melvin Gordon and Owen Wright, though Wright, an undrafted rookie, has signed a futures deal with the team. That leaves only Justice Hill and another undrafted rookie in Keaton Mitchell as the only two running backs with in-game experience on the roster moving forward.

Hill signed a two-year deal a year ago and will now play out the final season of that contract. He had the best season of his career in 2023 but has still failed to surpass 400 rushing yards or 4 touchdowns in a season. He expanded his role this year by adding 206 receiving yards. Mitchell was a pleasant surprise as a rookie, touting an outstanding 8.43 yards per carry average in eight games played. The diminutive back flashed elite speed and play-making ability when healthy, but a torn ACL midway through December leaves the team without their explosive second-year player for likely the entire offseason.

In our previous discussion on the subject, we laid out the cases for Dobbins and Edwards. Dobbins showed incredible upside as a rookie but has since struggled mightily to stay on the field. Edwards had been a reliable short-yardage and goal-line back in the early days of Jackson’s career, backing up Mark Ingram before teaming up with Dobbins and Hill. The big-bodied back with the nickname “Gus the Bus” has six years under his belt but showed no signs of slowing with a career-high 990 scrimmage yards and 13 rushing touchdowns this season. At the NFL scouting combine DeCosta made it known that the organization has not shut the door on the idea of bringing the two back. In fact, DeCosta claimed the team was “hopeful (they) can get something done with those guys,” per Ravens staff writers Clifton Brown and Ryan Mink.

We also explored the idea of free agency in our previous post. There are a number of big names hitting the open market this offseason, and Baltimore has already been connected to a few. Titans bell-cow Derrick Henry has been linked to the team since the days of the trade deadline. Other notable names like the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, and the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard have been mentioned, as well.

In the draft, there a couple intriguing names to look at like Michigan rusher Blake Corum or Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, but Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen is a name that has been making the rounds in Baltimore. If the team fails to sign any of the above veterans, expect the Ravens to pursue one of these players early in the draft. If a big name puts pen to paper, though, Baltimore will likely be content to take a late-round addition or even peruse the undrafted dregs once again.

Regardless, additions are going to be necessary in 2024. Especially with Mitchell coming back from a serious injury, the team can’t well expect to find success with only him, Hill, and Wright heading into the 2024 NFL season. Whether they bring back Edwards or Dobbins, sign a big-name in free agency like Henry or Barkley, or draft a high-end prospect, somebody will have to join the three currently in the running backs room.