The Baltimore Ravens have a new star running back.
John Harbaugh’s team has dealt with multiple injuries at the position, yet they’ve always found a way to be quite efficient on the ground.
Now, they’re adding a legitimate workhorse, the most physically imposing running back in the league, and a guy who’s going to pound his way up and down the field behind an elite offensive line.
More than that, getting Henry in the backfield will only do wonders for Lamar Jackson.
Talking on FOX Sports’ Speak, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho argued that getting Henry there will add one or two years to Jackson’s career.
“I do believe what Derrick Henry does is add one to two more years to Lamar Jackson’s career,” Acho said.
.@EmmanuelAcho: Acquiring Derrick Henry adds 1-2 more years to Lamar Jackson’s career. pic.twitter.com/P5R42ndxfZ
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) March 12, 2024
Acho stated that Henry would take some tread off Jackson’s tires, as he wouldn’t have to run the football as often as he’d done throughout the course of his career.
He compared it to guys like Michael Vick, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin III, mobile quarterbacks whose primes were as impressive as they were shortlived.
Running the football can obviously wear a quarterback’s body down, and he thinks the Baltimore Ravens are now doing what’s best to protect their most valuable asset.
Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re not going to use some designed runs for Jackson or that he’s not going to scramble as soon as he sees the tiniest gap.
But Jackson’s durability has always been a concern, and the reigning MVP will now have someone to rely on and who can dominate in the trenches to keep him safe and sound.
NEXT: Analyst Says 1 RB Is The 'Perfect Fit' For New Team