Rich Eisen Says Derrick Henry Is Already a Hall of Famer
Derrick Henry proved last season that he still has plenty left in the tank, as he put up some of the best numbers of his nine-year career.
But if Henry never played another down in the NFL, would the 31-year-old running back be a Pro Football Hall of Famer?
On "The Rich Eisen Show," Eisen and co-hosts Chris Brockman and TJ Jefferson tackled the hypothetical question, and the verdict was unanimous: Henry is Hall of Fame-worthy right now.
"Since I put him in the Hall of Fame three years ago, you know what my answer is. You bet he's a Hall of Famer," Eisen said.
Brockman said: "When you first brought this up a couple years ago, he was not there yet, and I wasn't sure how his career was going to age just because of how big he is, the style of play, just the sheer volume of carries. But, man, his last three seasons have been incredible. … He's absolutely a Hall of Famer right now.
"All three levels – high school, college, NFL – he may be the greatest running back ever, in that aspect."
Jefferson wasn't ready to say Henry is a first-ballot Hall of Famer today, "but at some point, he would get in the Hall of Fame."
Rashod Bateman Says Trade Talks With Cowboys 'Were a Thing, For Sure'
Prior to wide receiver Rashod Bateman signing a three-year contract extension last month, it was reported that the Dallas Cowboys were interested in trading for him.
Bateman confirmed the report in a recent interview with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.
"I went through a lot of things with the Cowboys and all of that with my contract," Bateman said. "There was a time when I didn't know what was going to happen. [The Cowboys talks] were a thing, for sure. It was a possibility. I don't want to deny that. But you know, [General Manager Eric] DeCosta, he's always making magic work, and he made it work. And I'm thankful for that."
Here are some more highlights from the interview:
What do you think has to happen for this team to get over the hump and take the final step to a Super Bowl?
"As cliché as it sounds, coaches always tell us from a young age that it's all about the little things. I think we've proven that we can play with anybody. We have some of the best players. I just think in the important times, in those clutch moments, all of us have to lock in and do everything right.
"There were a lot of missing variables for us as a team. For us, [as] an offense, we didn't [perform] to the best of our abilities, and it cost us at an important time. We know that. We know that we have to be better in certain areas, and that's been our focus. The coaches are demanding perfection out of us, and we're demanding perfection out of each other. I think we're heading in the right direction with that."
You've talked quite a few times about struggling mentally with the injuries and everything else early in your career. How much did not having to deal with all of the negativity contribute to what you were able to accomplish last year?
"It helped me get through last year. There were nicks and things that I was able to play through. Being able to go through what I went through, I guess my pain tolerance is pretty high right now. I just think it's trained me to be prepared for those moments and never look back.
"Now, any time I get the chance to work out or train or step on the practice field, not that I didn't, but I'm making sure that I'm giving it my all every single rep and every opportunity I get. I just want to continue to make plays."
What's the one criticism of Lamar Jackson that you're flabbergasted by?
"Honestly, whatever they say about Lamar is kind of mind-boggling to us in general. If you watched the dude's highlight tape in college, he threw the ball really, really well. You watch in the NFL, and he's throwing the ball better than most quarterbacks since he's been playing. I think they are definitely caught up in him not getting to the Super Bowl, but honestly, that's hard to even say.
"There's 11 people playing, and it's hard to put it all on the quarterback, even though that's the leader of the team. If you really watch football, Lamar does a lot. He gives people jobs, and he saves people's jobs. Lamar is a special, special generational talent."
Zach Orr Could Be 'Hot Candidate' for Head Coach Jobs After 2025 Season
Zach Orr has been a defensive coordinator for just one season, but the former Ravens linebacker is already being tabbed as a future head coach.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes Orr's time could come sooner rather than later. He included Orr among eight coordinators who could be in high demand during the next coaching cycle.
"Orr had his fingerprints all over the Ravens' aggressive defense," Moton wrote. "He knows the team culture inside and out and may need to adjust elsewhere, but the 33-year-old defensive coordinator could get serious looks for head coaching jobs next year.
"Orr has a stacked unit that will include newcomers, Jaire Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler, rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks and rookie second-round edge-rusher Mike Green. The Ravens could field the stingiest defense in 2025. If that's the case, Orr will be a hot candidate."
Under Orr, the Ravens had arguably the best defense in the league during the second half of last season. Overall, the unit was No. 9 in scoring and No. 10 in yards.
Devontez Walker Has Turned Heads This Offseason
If wide receiver Devontez Walker's performance at OTAs and minicamps is any indication, he could make a leap in Year 2.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley said Walker is the Ravens' biggest surprise player heading into training camp later this month.
"The 2024 fourth-round pick was Baltimore's most consistent wide receiver during spring practices and recorded two of the biggest catches of minicamp," Hensley wrote. "On the first day, Walker made an over-the-shoulder grab 20 yards downfield. On the second day, he delivered an acrobatic grab over cornerback T.J. Tampa along the sideline.
"Walker is looking to become a bigger part of the passing game after a forgettable rookie season, when his only catch was a 21-yard touchdown. He appears to be the front-runner to be Baltimore's No. 4 wide receiver behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins."
Walker made a positive impression on Head Coach John Harbaugh this spring.
"Every day, all he does is show up and go 100 miles an hour," Harbaugh said at the conclusion of minicamp. "He's got a chance to be really good."
Flowers Was a Security Blanket for Jackson Last Season
When Jackson was under pressure last season, Flowers was someone he looked to and could depend on.
Pro Football Focus looked at last season's highest target rates among wide receivers when their quarterback faced pressure and ranked them by threat rate (target rate based on the number of routes the player runs).
Flowers was No. 3 in the league with a 20% threat rate.
"Flowers saw 36 targets when his quarterback was under pressure last season (eighth most), and he hauled in 15 for 264 yards and a touchdown," PFF's Lauren Gray wrote. "All of his catches moved the chains, with nearly half (seven) gaining 15 or more yards. He also finished with the second-highest deep target rate in pressure situations (38.9%).
"Flowers has racked up 66 pressured targets in his first two seasons, logging 32 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks in the top 10 in targets and receiving yards across that span. He has gained 29 first downs and earned a 76.0 PFF receiving grade on those plays."
