Report: Ravens Nearly Landed Derrick Henry Last Season

Derrick Henry could've found himself in a Baltimore Ravens uniform even sooner than he actually did.

Oct 15, 2023; London, United Kingdom; Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball against Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson (95) in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Baltimore Ravens fans are eagerly awaiting the debut of star running back Derrick Henry, especially after years of him tormening them as a member of the Tennessee Titans.

As it turns out, though, Henry could've made his debut in purple and black much earlier than he actually will.

In an article released on Wednesday, Dan Pompei of The Athletic revealed that the Ravens and Titans had a Henry trade in place, but some higher-ups in Tennessee wound up nixing the deal before it could go through.

"[Baltimore general manager Eric] DeCosta agreed to the framework of a trade with Tennessee general manager Ran Carthon — a fourth-round pick that could have become a third had Henry reached certain production levels. However, others in the Titans hierarchy apparently were not on board with the deal, so Henry played out the season in Nashville,"

Henry ultimately did land in Baltimore, signing a two-year, $16 million deal in March. However, it would've been interesting to see how differently the season would've gone if this deal had been completed.

On the Ravens' end, Henry would've made the ground game that much more dangerous, but Baltimore likely would've given some touches to Gus Edwards as well. More importantly, perhaps Henry's presence means the Ravens don't abandon the run against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, and perhaps he makes enough of an impact to send Baltimore to the Super Bowl instead. Farfetched for sure, but it wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibility.

There's also the Titans' side of the equation, which is equally fascinating. Henry was relatively quiet after the Oct. 31 trade deadline, surpassing 100 yards just twice in 10 games. However, one of those games was the regular season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he ran for 153 yards and a touchdown before bidding an emotional farewell to the Tennessee faithful.

Of course, that game completed an epic collapse by the Jaguars, which saw them lose five of their final six games to fall out of the playoffs. If Henry isn't in Tennessee, though, Jacksonville probably wins that game and wins the AFC South over the Houston Texans. If that happens, perhaps we aren't talking about the Texans as a rising Super Bowl contender, and we're instead talking about the Jaguars in such a fashion.

No one can say for sure what would've happened if the Henry trade went through, but it's a fascinating hypothetical to think about.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Five Storylines to Watch at Ravens Training Camp
• 'God Mode' Coming for Ravens RB?
• New Starting LB Could Shape Ravens Season
• Ravens Draw Worrisome Eagles Comparison
• Five Sleepers Who Can Make Ravens Roster