RB Henry agrees to $30M extension with Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Running back Derrick Henry will be stiff-arming tacklers for the Baltimore Ravens for a little while longer.

Henry reached a two-year, $30 million extension with the Ravens on Wednesday, his agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter. This new deal keeps the 31-year-old Henry off the free-market after this season and rewards him with the largest deal in NFL history for a running back over 30.

The Ravens later announced the agreement but did not disclose financial terms.

Before this extension, Henry was entering the final year of a two-year, $16 million contract, which he outperformed in his first season in Baltimore. Now, he will receive $25 million in guaranteed money, according to Henry's agent, and remain under contract through the 2027 season.

Baltimore's new deal with Henry comes two months after the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles made Saquon Barkley the NFL's highest-paid running back with a two-year, $41.2 million extension. Ravens officials talked this offseason about getting an extension done with Henry, who ranked 13th among running backs with an average of $8 million per season.

With this extension, Henry can earn a total of $37 million over the next three years -- he was due $7 million in his final year of his previous contract with Baltimore -- which makes him the fourth-highest paid running back in the league. His average of $12.3 million per season would put him behind Barkley ($20.6 million), Christian McCaffrey ($19 million) and Jonathan Taylor ($14 million).

After spending his first eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Henry proved to be the ideal fit in the Ravens' offense with quarterback Lamar Jackson and ran for 1,921 yards, which was the most by a player 30 or older in NFL history. He averaged a career-best 5.9 yards per carry and set a Ravens franchise record with 18 total touchdowns.

It was last year at this time when Henry was being asked if his best days were behind him. He was coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded 68.6 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry, both of which were his lowest since 2018.

After saying he would "let my play speak for my age," Henry became the fourth running back over the past decade to produce over 1,000 yards rushing at 30 or older. He joined Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore and Raheem Mostert.

Ravens coaches and players lauded Henry for his work ethic and his ability to take some pressure off Jackson, who totaled career highs of 4,172 yards passing and 41 touchdown passes in his first season with Henry. Toward the end of last season, Jackson playfully compared Henry to Lightning McQueen from the movie "Cars."

Entering his 10th season, Henry ranks 19th on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 11,423 yards. He can crack the top 10 and surpass Tony Dorsett with 1,317 yards this season.