Hall of Famer Lewis helped sell Henry on signing with Ravens
Ray Lewis hasn’t played football since 2012, but the Hall of Famer is still helping the Ravens on the field.
Lewis, who spent his entire 17-year career in Baltimore, helped recruit Derrick Henry this offseason before the longtime Tennessee Titans running back signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Ravens.
“I’ve been doing it for years,” Lewis said on the red carpet at the Preakness Stakes on Saturday of trying to sell players on joining the Ravens. “He’ll be a key piece.”
Henry, 30, joined the Ravens after eight seasons in Tennessee as one of the most prolific rushers in the NFL. He recorded five 1,000-yard seasons, twice leading the league in rushing including 2020 when he won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Henry told the Pivot Podcast in an episode released in March that the Ravens were on his radar because they tried to swing a deal for him at the trade deadline last season. But it wasn’t until he talked to Lewis at the Pro Bowl that he grew an appreciation for the team’s history as a perennial Super Bowl contender.
“Dallas, being a perfect situation as well because we lived there and we ain’t got to move, but at the same time, Ravens, the history of it, and then talking to Ray at the Pro Bowl, just his passion about the organization, his impact there and how he talked about it, I was like, ‘If I’m not in Tennessee or I don’t get to go to Dallas, I would love to be a Raven,” Henry said. “I’m glad it worked out.”
The addition of Henry will give the Ravens a unique element to their offense alongside reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and wide receiver Zay Flowers, who recorded 858 receiving yards as a rookie last season. Baltimore hasn’t had a running back finish a season with more than 200 carries since Mark Ingram in 2019. Henry hasn’t recorded fewer than 200 carries in seven years.
“The reason why we got him: attitude,” Lewis said of what Henry brings to the Ravens. “It’s the mentality, man. You got two different sides of the game right now, right? You got the game that says, ‘don’t touch.’ And then you got Derrick Henry that says, ‘be touched.’ That’s the mentality I’m looking forward to.”
The Ravens’ offense was among the best in football last season, averaging 28.4 points (fourth in the NFL) and 370.4 (sixth) yards per game. Under newly installed offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Jackson set career highs in completions (307) and passing yards (3,678) as the offense shifted to more of a pass-heavy approach.
However, Jackson’s running ability ensured the ground game was still a key aspect of their offense – at least, it was until the AFC championship game. The Ravens called only eight designed runs in their 17-10 loss to the eventual Super Bow champion Kansas City Chiefs.
With Henry in the backfield, the chances of an anomaly like that happening again are slim. The Ravens, who began organized team activities on Monday, hope his presence alone will open up opportunities for the rest of the offense to flourish.
“It’s going to make it easier for me,” Flowers said while attending the Preakness with teammate Malik Cunningham. “It’s going to make it easier for the whole team. So, it should be fun.”
Lewis, the NFL’s all-time leader in combined tackles with 2,059, knows the type of impact a physical player like Henry can make. The Ravens’ 2024 opponents will soon find out, too.
“Seriously, seeing him in the same backfield as Lamar? Forget popcorn, I need something that’s not going to run out because you cannot miss that, man,” Lewis said. “I’m really interested to see how the dynamic with him – and not just him, we have weapons – but I think he just brings a certain mentality that says, ‘I’m an old-school player.’ It’s a new-school game. Derrick Henry represents an oldschool type of player.”