Ravens signing ex-Titans RB Derrick Henry to two-year, $16 million deal

Backfields are going to look a whole lot different in the NFL next season after a run on free agent quarterbacks and running backs during the league’s two-day legal tampering period. After QBs ruled Day 1 , running backs continued to make strides in free agency Tuesday with four-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry agreeing to a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, a person with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press. Henry’s jump from the Tennessee Titans, where he spent his first eight seasons, was among the biggest moves on the eve of the league’s new year, which officially begins at 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday. That’s when free agents can sign contracts they’ve agreed to this week.

Henry’s deal is worth up to $20 million and includes $9 million guaranteed. The two-time NFL rushing champ joins a Baltimore team that annually produces one of the league’s leading ground games.

Running backs have struggled to earn big money in recent years — to the point where Henry organized a group chat among top players at the position last summer. This year’s free agent class included Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard, all of whom found new homes during Monday’s free agency frenzy . Barkley, Jacobs and Pollard were the three running backs franchise tagged a year ago at $10.1 million, and none signed long-term deals with their teams by the July deadline. All three became free agents this year when their teams declined to tag them again, this time at $12 million. Henry turned 30 in January. The four-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in 2023 with 280 rushing attempts and ranked second to Christian McCaffrey with 1,167 yards rushing. His 12 rushing TDs were fourth in the AFC. Henry leaves Tennessee ranked second in franchise history with 9,502 rushing yards, trailing only Eddie George (10,009).

The Ravens finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record in 2023 before losing to Kansas City in the AFC championship game. Now they add another proven offensive playmaker to work alongside quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is coming off his second MVP season.

Ravens face Chiefs in first-ever AFC Championship game at M&T Bank Stadium

The Baltimore Ravens will play in front of the faithful flock one last time this season, and it will be the most important contest in the history of M&T Bank Stadium as they will host the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the AFC conference title game.

The Ravens beat the brakes off of the Houston Texans last week after a one-sided second half catapulted them to victory. Baltimore has been the talk of the league ever since they rolled through their competition in November and December, but there is one very noticeable contender that they have not had to face in that period, and that contender would be none other than the Chiefs.

Kansas City is one ring away from truly solidifying itself as the new NFL dynasty, and that label will be applied to any team with two Lombardi trophies and six straight appearances in the AFC championship game.

Lamar Jackson’s perfect passer rating helps Ravens beat Dolphins 56-19 to clinch top seed in AFC

In what may have been his final bid for the MVP award, Lamar Jackson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, finishing with a perfect passer rating and helping the Baltimore Ravens clinch the top seed in the AFC with a 56-19 rout of the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Isaiah Likely caught two TDs for the Ravens, who won their sixth straight game and also wrapped up their first AFC North title since 2019, Jackson’s first MVP season. Now Baltimore (13-3) can rest Jackson — and anyone else it chooses — in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.

Miami (11-5) is also postseason bound, but now the winner of next weekend’s Dolphins-Bills game will take the AFC East. Miami was without two offensive stars in receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) and running back Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle).

And now the Dolphins face another potentially significant injury. Linebacker Bradley Chubb — with his team down 30 points — had to be carted off with a 3:05 remaining after hurting his knee.

Serenaded with periodic “MVP!” chants from the home crowd, Jackson went 18 of 21 passing, meaning he finished the game with more touchdown passes than incompletions. That’s a feat Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa also accomplished in a 70-20 win over Denver in Week 3.