The Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to land 4x Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry in free agency this offseason.
Henry, the 2020 AP Offensive Player of the Year, has played his entire eight-year career with the Tennessee Titans, and now enters free agency starting March 13.
Let’s take a look at the leading contenders to land Derrick Henry.
BAL Ravens | +300 |
DAL Cowboys | +400 |
PHi Eagles | +500 |
HOU Texans | +700 |
LA Chargers | +1000 |
Read more: NFL free agency tracker
The most prolific rushing team in the NFL is the favorite to land an all-time great running back in Henry.
Baltimore led the NFL in rush attempts (541) and rush yards (2,661) in 2023 behind a multi-headed attack consisting of Lamar Jackson, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Keaton Mitchell.
Adding Henry to the Ravens’ backfield would bring it to another level in terms of power and short-yardage running. The 30-year old Henry can still get out in the open field, too.
After a hugely disappointing playoff exit, Dallas must re-tool this offseason to give its fans hope heading into the 2024 season. Bringing Henry into the backfield alongside Tony Pollard would certainly do that.
After eclipsing 2,100 rushing yards as a team in 2021 and 2022, the Cowboys’ ground game struggled last year, logging just 1,920 rushing yards. It became clear Pollard is not a clear-cut RB1 like most thought. Acquiring Henry would give a huge boost to a Dallas team and fanbase that is currently low on morale.
Henry was rumored to be a trade target for Philly during the 2023 season, but it never came to fruition. Now, GM Howie Roseman has the chance to land him and give up nothing in return.
Once considered the top rushing team in the NFL, the Eagles’ downward spiral to finish the 2023 season left all of Philadelphia wondering what went wrong. From the fans to the front office, everyone knows change is needed. Adding Henry to the backfield would spark new life into the Birds entering 2024.
Unlike the teams listed above, the Texans are a unique candidate to land Henry this offseason.
With new stars C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. still on their rookie contracts, Houston has more flexibility to sign high-profile, highly-paid players like Henry. The team has $73 million in cap space, the sixth-most in the NFL.
The Texans also look to have one of the brightest futures of any franchise, having made the Divisional round in its first season with a new head coach and quarterback.
Another underperforming team with high potential, the Chargers are a realistic landing spot for Henry for multiple reasons.
First, it’s Los Angeles, a place pro athletes like to migrate to. Second, longtime starting running back Austin Ekeler is a free agent himself, and is unlikely to re-sign after seeing a huge decline in production in 2023.
Lastly, Jim Harbaugh is the new head coach, someone most every NFL player would love to play for. It also means brighter days are likely ahead for the Bolts.
Odds mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.