Jamison Hensley, an ESPN reporter specializing in coverage of the Baltimore Ravens, has been following the team since 2011. Initially covering the AFC North, he shifted his focus exclusively to the Ravens in 2013.
Hensley’s dedication to his craft earned him recognition as the Maryland Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association in 2018. He authored “Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens,” adding to his portfolio of insightful sports commentary. Prior to joining ESPN, Hensley served as the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000 to 2011.
The Baltimore Ravens have made a significant move to bolster their already formidable rushing attack by signing Derrick Henry, the NFL’s most productive running back of the past decade, to a two-year, $16 million contract, according to sources familiar with the deal as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The agreement, potentially valued at $20 million, includes $9 million guaranteed in the first year.
This acquisition pairs Henry, a two-time NFL rushing champion, with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens’ quarterback and reigning Most Valuable Player. The Ravens had previously expressed interest in acquiring Henry before last year’s trade deadline.
Henry, 30, remained on the free agent market longer than anticipated. His signing with Baltimore comes after 10 other free-agent running backs secured deals within the first two days of the NFL’s negotiating window.
The Ravens, who led the NFL in rushing yards last season with 2,661, sought a starting running back due to the free agency status of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Edwards recently agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Henry’s addition to the Ravens roster could alleviate some of the rushing burdens on Jackson, who has led the team in rushing for the past five seasons. Throughout Jackson’s tenure, only one running back, Mark Ingram, in 2019, surpassed 1,000 rushing yards. Henry has achieved this feat in five of his past six seasons, leading the NFL in rushing in both 2019 and 2020.
This signing marks the Ravens’ first significant move in free agency this year. Prior to securing Henry, the team saw six of its free agents depart for other teams: Edwards (Chargers), safety Geno Stone (Bengals), wide receiver Devin Duvernay (Jaguars), guard John Simpson (Jets), cornerback Ronald Darby (Jaguars), and linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (Texans).
Henry has left an indelible mark on the Tennessee Titans, solidifying himself as one of the franchise’s all-time greats over his eight-year career. With 9,502 rushing yards, Henry ranks second in Titans history, trailing only Eddie George. His 90 rushing touchdowns tie him with Hall of Famers Curtis Martin and Eric Dickerson for the 13th most in NFL history.
The Titans opted to part ways with Henry, agreeing to a three-year contract with running back Tony Pollard on Monday.
Despite facing challenges such as a subpar offensive line, Henry finished second in the NFL last season with 1,167 rushing yards and added 12 rushing touchdowns. His impressive performance in the final game of the 2023 season showcased his enduring talent, with Henry reaching a speed of 21.7 mph on the GPS tracker.
In 2020, Henry earned several accolades, including NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Associated Press first-team All-Pro honors. He also claimed his second consecutive FedEx Ground Player of the Year award after leading the league with a franchise-record 2,027 rushing yards. Henry joined an elite group of players in NFL history by surpassing 2,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Despite being sidelined by a foot injury after eight weeks of the 2021 season, Henry still managed to lead the NFL with 937 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. His exceptional performance earned him a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth time in his career.
The Titans drafted Henry in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama, where he played a pivotal role in securing a national championship in 2015 and winning the Heisman Trophy.
