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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.
In the NFL, there is a line in the sand when everyone automatically thinks you’re washed up. That line is the day you go from 29 to 30 years old. That’s it. Not hard to identify.
Recent NFL history has shown us those types of assumptions might not be so accurate anymore — reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford is 38 years old and is the 4th over-30 MVP in the last decade.
It won’t stop the naysayers from pointing out when they think people are too old to be elite NFL stars. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called the Baltimore Ravens aging backfield duo of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry having a drop-off in their play as the “worst case scenario” for the Ravens in 2026.
“Here’s where we point out that a serious quarterback injury would be the worst-case scenario for any team that has an entrenched starter,” Knox wrote on June 15. “It’s fair to wonder, though, how much Jackson’s health played a role in last season’s decline as a scrambler. Jackson averaged a career-low 5.2 rushing attempts per game and has seen a decline in rushes per game in three straight seasons. The reality is that even the best dual-threat quarterbacks tend to rely on their legs less later in their careers. Jackson is still only 29 years old, but he may be past his prime as a running quarterback.
“Running back Derrick Henry, meanwhile, is 32, and while he hasn’t hit the proverbial cliff yet, Father Time eventually catches up to all ball-carriers. If Jackson and Henry both decline as runners in 2026, the offense may be even worse than the average unit it was last year.”
Ravens Will Have New-Look Offense in 2026
Whatever form the Ravens take on offense in 2026, it’s a safe bet it won’t look like what they trotted out in 2025 under former head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Rookie head coach Jesse Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle have changes in store, although free agency will also dictate some of that after losing a trio of stars: 3-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, tight end Isaiah Likely, and NFL All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard.
With that kind of talent walking out the door, the Ravens went big on offense in the 2026 NFL draft. They used their 1st round pick on Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane, followed by consecutive mid-round picks on wide receivers Ja’Kobi Lane (3rd round) and Elijah Sarratt (4th round).
Ravens Need to Plan for Future at Running Back
While Henry has shown little sign of slowing down in his 2 years with the Ravens, rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024, followed by 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2025 — a season in which teams didn’t have to account for Jackson running the ball due to injuries.
Still, Henry is 32, which means the Ravens have to plan for the future.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski predicts the Ravens will do just that in the 1st round of the 2027 NFL draft, where he predicts they will take 6-foot-1, 227-pound Florida running back Jaden Baugh at No. 29 overall.
“Multiple running back options are available to become Derrick Henry’s successor,” Sobleski wrote on June 5. “In this case, the Baltimore Ravens select the closest physically to maintain the squad’s current offensive approach.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame