Ravens RB Itching for Contact

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is ready to finally get his hands dirty with his new team.

Jul 27, 2024; Owings Mill , MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) moved into position during the afternoon session of training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center, Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Henry has been going about his business as usual throughout his first offseason with the Baltimore Ravens, but he hasn't had much of a chance to show off his world-class physicality.

Luckily for him, that chance is coming up very soon. Although he and many other starters won't play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers, he will get some good reps against another team during Thursday's joint practice.

"I think it's fun," Henry said Tuesday. "We've been going against one another for about a month now. We'll get to go against another jersey, we'll get to practice against another team, see some different looks, and [it will] kind of give us a good look of how far we are and the things we need to work on as an offense [as we] go up against a different team. It's fun, and it's some good work."

During his time with the Tennessee Titans, Henry was an absolute menace for the Ravens' defense. In four regular season games against Baltimore, the 30-year-old bruiser rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns while averaging five yards per carry. There's also the 2019 Divisional Round game, in which Henry rushed for 195 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and threw a touchdown to help the Titans embarrass the top-seeded Ravens.

Seeing as Henry's now a member of the Ravens, defenders no longer have to worry about being on the receiving end of Henry's legendary stiff-arm.

"I think it comes naturally," Henry said. "I've been doing it since I started playing football, and it's gotten more effective. The higher I went, the more I've elevated my game from high school to college to pro, so I think it's something that comes naturally. I wouldn't do that to my teammates though."

A two-time rushing champ and former Offensive Player of the Year, Henry now joins a Baltimore offense that's very different compared to the one he just left. With an entire offseason now under his belt, though, Henry feels confident in the offense to hit the ground running.

"I'm definitely excited to play, and [I] can't wait until that time comes, but it's all about polishing and getting everything down and continuing to get better until that time comes," Henry said. "I'm sure everybody out here is itching to get to Week 1 for sure."

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