ExtremeRavens Posted June 11 Posted June 11 Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell took a moment during the first day of Ravens mandatory minicamp Tuesday to observe practice from the sideline. They stood together, Henry in a helmet and purple jersey and Mitchell in shorts and a T-shirt. The mountainous Henry towered over the small-but-shifty Mitchell as they watched the second-team offense drive down the field. Then Henry strapped his helmet tight and jogged over to join the group. Mitchell stayed back. Someday, they’ll share the field together, perhaps splitting touches to form a dynamic backfield. For now, it’s just Henry. Baltimore signed the 30-year-old running back to a two-year contract this offseason and believes Henry can handle the same workload he was given in Tennessee. With Mitchell still months away from getting back on the field after suffering a season-ending knee injury in December and Justice Hill the only other returning running back, Henry might be thrust into a large role immediately. History says a decline is nearing. The Ravens don’t see it that way. “I watched the wear and tear that he put on defenses, ours included,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s in great shape, he’s a stickler for detail, and he’s moving really well.” Henry led the NFL in rushing attempts in four of the past five seasons. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound back was dependable in Tennessee despite that monstrous workload. He played fewer than 15 games just once in eight seasons with the Titans, but a slight drop-off began to appear last season. He had 49 fewer attempts than he did in 2022. His average of 4.2 yards per carry was his lowest since 2017. And he posted career lows in broken tackles and yards after contact, excluding his injury-shortened 2021 season. Still, a backfield pairing of Henry and Lamar Jackson has the chance to be frightening. Henry has never been beside a quarterback who stretches a defense like the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, the running back said, and the Ravens have never given Jackson a running back who commands as much attention as Henry. “It’s going to be fun and a breath of fresh air not being the center of attention,” Henry said. Ravens running back Derrick Henry runs a drill during mandatory minicamp Tuesday in Owings Mills. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Harbaugh said last month that Mitchell, who rushed for 396 yards in eight games as a rookie, is not expected to return before training camp begins in July. Rather, a midseason return is more likely for the second-year running back who tore his ACL in December. A healthy Mitchell would have shouldered some of the early load on Henry. Baltimore also lost J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to the Los Angeles Chargers via free agency. Instead, Baltimore will turn to Hill and fifth-round rookie Rasheen Ali to split touches. Hill posted career highs in rushing and receiving yards last season and might see an expanded role again as the No. 2 to Henry. Ali, who ran for 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Marshall, would benefit from an impressive summer to break through the group before Mitchell returns. Henry will be carrying most of the load until then, which he feels capable of doing. A statistical decline is surely approaching for the 30-year-old veteran. By playing beside Jackson, part of what drew him to Baltimore, so too could a rejuvenation. “He doesn’t have on his pads, so this isn’t his strong suit,” middle linebacker Roquan Smith said of his new teammate Henry. “It’s more so when he puts those pads on that he becomes that demon. He has a lot of tread left on that tire.” View the full article Quote
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