If the Tennessee Titans wind up holding a complete fire sale after trading All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta should burn down the phone lines to acquire All-Pro running back Derrick Henry.
The Ravens look the part of legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and it appears quarterback Lamar Jackson is rounding into MVP form after demolishing the Detroit Lions 38-6 on Sunday afternoon, but Henry would be the missing piece to lift Baltimore's offense to heights previously unseen in the Charm City.
While passing for a career-high 357 yards with three touchdowns against Detroit, Jackson showed a previously unseen ability to leverage his mobility to create opportunities deep downfield in the passing game, while still taking off and rushing for 36 yards and another touchdown.
DeCosta and the Ravens have finally built a prolific cast of receivers around Jackson; rookie Zay Flowers has 39 receptions for 442 yards and one touchdown, Nelson Agholor has accounted for 222 yards with two scores, Rashod Bateman is heating up with 12 catches for 118 yards, and Odell Beckham Jr. is starting to get healthy.
Imagine those weapons int he passing game buttressed by a battering ram in the running game, like Henry.
So far this season, Henry is averaging 4.3 yards per carry with three touchdowns, despite a floundering Titans offense that has struggled to establish an identity thanks to inconsistent quarterback play. There has already been plenty of buzz surrounding a potential trade, if the price is right for the Titans.
Is it time for a Derrick Henry trade?@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/iOZog1QH7c
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 26, 2023
That certainly wouldn't be a problem in a backfield behind Jackson, in Baltimore. The Ravens have had to withstand injuries to the likes of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards so far this season, but adding Henry would give the Ravens the opportunity to finally field the kind of ground and pound offense it envisioned with a healthy Dobbins in the backfield.
The Ravens currently boast the NFL's third-leading rushing offense, averaging 145 yards per game, but there might not be a better complement to Jackson's elusive explosiveness than Henry's violent running style.
As Jackson continues to gain confidence from the pocket, the vertical passing game is bound to become more of a driver of the Ravens' offensive success. But, adding Henry, who has scored 43 touchdowns over the past three seasons would make Baltimore's zone-read scheme even more dangerous than it already is.
Likewise, if opponents need to crowd the box out of respect for Henry, Jackson has shown an ability to capitalize deep down field from the pocket to make them pay.
If Henry is available, the Ravens have the fit, and the need to take a swing at rounding out what has the potential to be its most well-rounded offense of Jackson's career, and perhaps pave the way to a legitimate run at the Lombardi.
