Derrick Henry Introductory Press Conference | Baltimore Ravens

pictures first [Music] here good good okay okay everybody Welcome uh thanks for coming in today we're here to celebrate the signing of Derrik Henry player that we faced multiple times over the last five to seven years and a player that we've always admired we've had a chance to watch from uh up close and also from afar we're thrilled to bring him here to Baltimore congrats to him and also his beautiful family John yeah just to follow up on that I mean wonderful family it's been fun getting to know you guys today and we're just thrilled and proud to have you here I'm trying to figure out who's more excited on our staff the offensive coaches or the defensive coaches you know the offensive coaches are pretty fired up but the defensive coaches they don't have to tackle this guy anymore so uh it's just it's just great for our team it's going to uh make a difference for us I know the players are excited we can't wait to get started so for me I'm grateful for this opportunity um this is a great organization um uh my family here with me my girlfriend Adriana my daughter Valentina and Adriana Mom miss Simona um uh like he said like you said I've been uh had some great battles uh against uh the Ravens for uh five to seven years and happy and grateful to be a part of it um God is good and um blessed for this opportunity questions Derek uh you know there's a lot talk about you and Lamar being on the same off what kind of offense can you envision having you know put you guys on you know as a t oh well he's he he's so Dynamic and um how he plays and uh his playmaking ability um especially you know me me seeing it going against these guys for a little while now so excited to uh to play with him um he had a great year this year um did a lot of great things um have a lot of great guys in the offense and I just want to be add in peace to this offense to uh uh to help them um uh do do do better than they did last year and right now just trying to focus on coming in earn earning my earning the respect for my teammates Eric what went into the decision to um to come here for you yeah it really was a uh a no-brainer for me um this is where I I knew I wanted to be um I love the style the physicality that they play with on um on all three phases um I felt like it uh fits my my style of play as well um uh and um it was really a no brainer just trying to figure out the the business side of things and glad we were able to get it figured out how much you feel you have left in the tank or something that feel like you know your best St behind you what's your response to to that tell them to keep watching um you know uh they say the same thing about you Jerry look at you you still here so so uh yeah I mean people always going to have something to say always going have a opinions I'm just here uh ready to work um ready to get things started and um do my best to help this organization D how important was it to be a part of a team that's a consistent contender in your decision making during this time yeah definitely um want to be somewhere that had a solid foundation and know this Foundation has been set for a very long time and um they compete every year and and and and always in the conversation and want to be somewhere where I'm surrounded by uh by great talent um um have a uh a great quarterback and great players around um him as well so you know just excited for this for this opportunity and um bless and thankful to be able to land here Eric congratulations on the Move I'm wondering can you quantify the week that you've had signing Justin and then getting a guy that you coveted for a long time and Derek I mean last year with Lamar signing was big but you got two in one week where does that rank for you as a GM as far as the week is concerned oh man we've had some ups and downs over the last what five years so we've had some huge weeks we've had some bad weeks this is kind of in some ways remarkable great exciting we've but we've also lost what eight players excellent players as well so it's always Bittersweet this time a year you win some you lose some uh we keep swinging blessed to get Justin done uh blessed to get Derek done you know I feel like both those guys are slam dunks and saying that you know want to also you know celebrate you know Patrick Queen John Simpson Gino Stone Gus Edwards Ronald Derby Tyler a Morgan Moses Devon Dum those guys helped us win a lot of games over the last five years all Ravens uh in different ways different backgrounds so you know there's always it's always kind of a tough give and take this time of year but we're blessed today to be here with Derek Eric you talked uh to start about you know your experience going against Derek Ken we know about his resume but how much did your you know your up close and personal experiences playing against him going into the decision to bring them in yeah so I'll tell you in 2019 we played that game and it was you know just a gut-wrenching performance um I think we all kind of realize that but I was at the Senior Bowl and I left the Senior Bowl and met our team our coaching staff and and a lot of players at the Pro Bowl and I had the chance as a as a general manager to just observe and I saw Derek that week and I watched him and I watched how the other players related to him I watched and saw his humility I mean this is a guy that ran for like I don't know how many yards that season and all the players kind of gravitated towards him uh that week and it was a tremendous respect and uh that resonated with me as a guy who sky was for living and I just you know having the chance to kind of step aside and watch his career unfold it's it's been very very uh impressive to me um you got Derek hry Lamar Jackson is the is the the goal out the priority kind of buil the offensive line to be able to block through these guys you have some holes on the offensive line you have to feel right that's always going to be the priority as the offensive line you know I think in 2008 when we hired John one of the first things he said to me was we need a big strong physical athletic offensive line and that's has never really changed and so that will be the mission in the coming weeks to build that out I think we're on our way I think we have a good plan we're fortunate that this draft class looks pretty pretty good from that standpoint I don't want to call it historically strong but it looks like a very strong crop of offensive lineman and uh I say this every year but as a wise man once said we don't play games till September we'll be ready um there was so much talk about how the running back Market would shake out there were a lot of quality players but did you go in knowing this was the guy that you wanted yeah I had a good indication I mean to be honest we tried to trade for Derek you know before the trade deadline thought there was a reasonable chance that we would get a trade done it didn't work out it was disappointing but uh but we pivoted you know but again when you evaluate the tape you watch the player you see the history of the player you talk to people who have been around the player uh it made all the sense in the wall for us to Target Derek John how much will the addition of Derrick Henry just change the look of the offense I mean do you still feel that you'll mainly go pistol will you go more under Center how how much could that change just the look of the off yeah I mean I think you always try to build the offense around the players that you have so you know what dererk does really exceptionally well is going to be where we're going to kind of move towards but we're versatile we can go in a lot of different directions that's what Lamar makes his versatile and I also think kind of what we've been doing along those lines are kind of fit this guy really well you know it's not just his specific talents because he can you can run out of any kind of Back Field set he can be in the pistol he can be he can be under he can be in the gun uh he can move around that's that's all things he's just a versatile player but more than that I just think the the person that the the guy that loves football you know that fits us really well too he's a tough physical guy but you know you played the high school he played at you played the College he played at you know where he's been with Tennessee the kind of leader he's been everybody you talk to talks about him in terms of a guy just loves football is about football wants to compete wants to do his best wants to do everything he can to help the team win you know that's uh that's kind of what it's all about here and uh that's I'm most excited probably about that D ER have you spoken to Lamar Jackson I know uh Marlon Humphrey had a back and forth on social media but what other players on this team have you spoken to in the last few days um uh well yeah me and social media guy Marlin podcast for social media guy let's make that stick yeah me and Marlin definitely uh we we we we've text and uh talked on social media uh Ronney reached out um um I got to know him through throughout the years haven't spoken to Lamar but I'm sure he's busy join his offseason I me we'll connect at some point um but yeah uh just excited for opportunity and um know ready to meet my my teammates and earn their respect Derek you Eric said last year before trade lighted line that they thought they might get you were you kept the breath of those conversations was there a point there where you thought you were going to be a raven before last year's trade deadline yeah I thought uh it was a good chance I was I was going to be um U didn't really know uh when when it was going to happen um I know was conversations and and things going on but um you know I would just really just just focus on the season if and if anything came just pivot and um um get ready for what whatever whatever that was going to happen but it it didn't happen but um you know I'm a raving now so that's all that matters and um you know get ready to go to work Derek everybody seems to love the idea of you next to Lamar Jackson in the backfield for you as the player what does what is the benefit for you being next to a guy like him who who's as mobile as he is yeah I don't want to um make any uh predictions any expectations I think just putting the work um uh and and I'm big on earning my respect for my teammates and I know I've said that repeatedly but that's all I want to do is earn respect from everybody in this building um showing that I'm I'm ready to to come work help everybody get better in any aspect that I can um be a leader in any type of way by the way I carry myself and by by the way I work on the field I'm in the weight room and um be ATT tenative tenative meetings help the young guys in any way I can and um you know just just go out and work and um do the best I can to help Lamar in any way by running the football protecting him and helping my teammates in anyway as well so know that's my main focus and um I'm definitely excited to be beside Lamar in the same offense a lot of photos and videos of you Lamar who as dropped up the two you ever talked about the possibility of this day and the dreams of maybe potentially playing together um yeah I mean I I've definitely thought about it um you know he's uh uh one of the best and not the best uh players in this league um you know have respect for him ever since he he's came in this league and his body of work and what he's been been able to do and um and respect for this organization as well um they have some great players org organization um just just like thear who's done a lot of great things uh Mark Andrews um at tight end uh R Smith at at the linebacker position some great leaders guys who set a good example so excited to be teammates with with everybody and excited to get in the RB room get get to know those guys and um be able to compete against them and all all of us make each other better we heard Eric and John talk about how grateful they have you on their side everyone remembers a stiff arm too uh what's it like for you in your vision of the Ravens and and being on the other side how did you view the Ravens from a opponent's perspective yeah I mean bucking your chin strap get ready for a 60-minute fight and knowing that um know you're going to take some licks I have to give some licks and um every every time we played them it was physical and um uh you know we had to have a great gate plan to uh prepare for these guys especially on defense because they give you so many different looks and then our defense getting ready for Lamar and how you got a game playing against him so I'm definitely glad to be on the other side now so yeah what what do you think is the key to longevity for running backs because not many running backs can do especially what you've done even in at the during this in the stage of your career what do you think is the key for for longevity yeah really I think it's taking care of your body um doing the things uh you need to do get your body prepared uh year in and year out week in and week out and every single day and making sure that you feel the best to be able to perform at your best um uh creating good habits with uh eating healthy and um you know as you get uh into the league um you know just uh do more research on you know guys who who played a long time and be a sponge to uh guys at the running back position or anywhere else and see what they done and try to implement it into your life as well and that's all I try to do and um you know uh I feel great I'm blessed to be able to be going into year nine and um uh getting this opportunity so just want to take advantage of it and do my best that I Cann you allowed yourself to think about short yard situations with him and possibly running behind Pat Ricard and how much stress that could put on a defense and how it's not your problem anymore to have to tackle him I do allow myself to think about all those things and I I think I'm with a smile on my face but it'll be it'll be great game planning wise it's going to give us a lot of options we have a lot of like Derek was talking about we've got a lot of a lot of Playmakers and our offensive line is going to be big and physical and tough and good so uh we're looking forward to it a l of those lines you know I think we've seen in the division maybe across the like teams get faster at that second level to kind of account for quarterbacks like Lamar who can make things happen with their legs is there any you know pleasure for you in kind of having the counter punch of a guy as big and physical as there being the kind of counter punch to everyone getting smaller and faster maybe on defense yeah I mean I think that's a good observation it's it's one way to look at it we always talk about attacking the full width of the field in terms of the Run game but also the pass game and that does start in the a gap to your point but but the great thing about Derrick Henry it doesn't end in the a gap it's the B Gap the C Gap the D Gap The Edge all the way out to the sideline we saw that in London this past year on that fake reverse that you guys hit on us so uh this this is a back that can do everything you know and uh and uh you know he can he can he can change the game for you so we're excited about it I'm looking forward to it you um or Eric do you have any kind of timetable for the return of Keat Mitchell and given that he's out for some time is the search still on to add get another running back into this mix for that first part of the Season yeah I mean I think Keaton's doing really well you know we'll see obviously significant uh knee injury but we have some experience with that you know I've gotten some updates from our trainers and doctors and we feel like he's on path to come back at some point uh in the this season um running back wise you know uh we'll assess the market like we always do there's some players out there still that are pretty uh interesting players the draft is also another way for us to get better and we'll attack it in different ways depending on the situation depending on the value that we see you know uh We've drafted guys we've signed on drafted free agents we've traded for running backs and there's a lot of different ways to to skin the cat so to speak so we'll look at it um we feel really good about Justice too Justice Hill who's one of the unsung heroes of our team I would say in 2023 so uh the cover is not b not bare and uh we got this guy so I think we're in good shape Derek was it uh difficult watching 10 other running backs come off uh free agency in day one and even Tony par going to where you were and not being able to say what you were going to do and did you even know what you were going to do when all these things were happening a couple of days ago um no I wasn't too uh uh overwhelmed about it um you know I just prayed about it and um asked God to put me where I needed to be and I trust and believe in that process and and knew it would happen but um as other running backs going out the market um very happy for those guys um you know try to keep it as a Brotherhood with with running backs and know especially with this day and age and Happ to see those guys get paid um and knowing that at some point my my uh my chances uh are come and I'll get my opportunity and um I was hoping that it would be here and um you know it all worked out so I was happy something to build off of that question is is you've heard a lot over the last few years about your position being devalued we have the frustrations with contract negotiations and and everything and to see on day one you know so many of your Brotherhood of running backs and yourself and Silent in the first couple days was that a positive thing for you do you do you feel did you view that as as something that was good for your position to see them getting paid and and to you know earn contracts yeah I was definitely happy to see uh those guys go go off the market pretty fast I think that speak volumes that you know the running back position is is still needed even though you know it that doesn't seem like it um you know you still got to be able to run the ball got still got to have a guy who can change uh change the game um in in any matter uh of the game and um you know I feel like the guys who signed those contracts definitely can do that and I think it it was recognized and um very happy for those guys cuz you know we definitely want to uh be able to you know have a market where it's fair and uh we are value for the future as well for the guys who coming up after us Eric a couple years ago you I think you talked about how running back is a great down position really hard for for guys to to stay healthy is Derrik just based on his track record one of those guys who seems to to five what typically happens to Folks at that position yeah I think that's right uh you know we're talking about a guy who's missed very very little time in his career he's kind of a unicorn to be honest his combination of speed power durability um you know he's thrived in different systems and done different things he's won wherever he's been and and uh you know those kind of guys are rare I mean we've had some here in Baltimore they're just different from everybody else and I think Derrick's a good example of that Eric after all the years in Tennessee and being in the same place what do you see as the biggest challenge joining a new team after being somewhere for so long um I think uh you know you've been somewhere eight years I mean the this changes with the the people in the organization um you know just getting to know everybody getting everybody to know me um um you know this this the culture how they do things around here which I don't think could be hard I think um you know I'll get acclimated pretty quick by the guys around here here is very family oriented a great Brotherhood um but no not really so much worried about that but just excited for for for what's in store and um getting get to know everybody and get get in the swing of things and I'm trying to help any way as possible while I'm here John we know how physical these AFC North games can be you guys proud yourself on being a physical running team just how excited are you to have now probably most physical bat uh in those games yeah they good fit in the AFC North but uh you know weren they they were in the AFC North at one time weren't they Eric the same so this this rivalry long time ago long time when was that Jamon AFC Central yeah it was back 2002 I mean you're talking historically kind of your point it's uh there's a long storyed history you know of this kind of football being played by these team so it continues Eric you said you wanted to solidify the off fine you said that process ongoing you were going to get it back you got Derk Henry is there anything on the receiver front I mean there's a report you may be looking for Divo Samuel or another veteran can you comment on on where you're at there yeah um you know I think you know that specific report probably I read The Lorax last week at a local elementary school and I would probably put that report that similar to that but um I think you know the hunt goes on we're trying to find good football players and uh we know whether that's a receiver offensive line pass rushers Corners whatever it is I think that you know the challenge for us is to find the money find the right player find a perfect match on the field off the field we know we have the draft um as of right now I think we have nine picks we moved up a little bit in fourth which I think is going to be advantageous for us moving from the bottom of the fourth to the top third of the fourth round should be a better player so I do see opportunity for us to uh to get back at the draft last year was kind of lean with the draft in terms of the amount of picks we had I think this year will be a good chance for us to kind of augment the roster with good young cheap talented football players I think before fre agen if your old teammate Taylor said he didn't really see you being a bit Boss Mar because of like he didn't think you would like own reads rpos that kind of thing are you kind of comfortable with with everything that this off will probably ask for you yeah I'm I'm definitely conf um confident in my ability confident to adjust um and um you know uh excited for for what's in store um T Taylor is very opinionated these days and has his opinion on on a lot of stuff but uh you I'm very confident in my ability St well it's been a while but he's this is his his his his occupation now so yeah Eric and John um you guys have you guys have been with this organization for so long Eric espe and the list of great running backs I mean it's a long one here but this is arguably the greatest running back in this this franchise's history where would you you know kind of um I guess put him you know on the list of of of the running backs that I mean he will suit up for the Ravens oh well I'm not I'm not really going to rank players I mean I think it's it's not something that I typ will do it's like ranked players especially you know but this guy's a warrior and he's right up there with the very best we've ever had um certainly we've had a number of outstanding players throughout the years I mean we had multiple guys with offensive player of the year in the league whether with us or with somebody else I mean even a guy like priest Holmes um but we had you know so many great ones this guy um unbelievable player excited to see what he does It's A brotherhood like he said and I know that we have a lot of guys the Legends the Baltimore Legends running back Legends are going to be cheering for this guy from day one and that's exciting the first time you've worn a purple black suit how' you like the color in no I actually told uh coach Harbor all this funny story this is actually the uh the suit I wore to my grandmother's funeral who who raised me um she died in 2016 and um uh this is her favorite color so uh whenever um um Eric told me that I'll be coming to do a press I was like I got to wear this suit so we're actually moving this next week so I was scramming through boxes pulling everything out trying to find this suit and be able to put it together so um you know uh yeah I definitely want to wear this color to to honor her and um show all the fans around F next I'm ready I'm on board how proud and excited do you think she would be that you signed with the Ravens you're in her favorite color oh yeah she she she's definitely excited um the day before free agency were outside in my yard um uh playing I was outside playing with my daughter my grandmother loved butterflies in Tennessee I always see a butterfly every practice and you know the house we lived in now never saw one since we've been there we've been there going on two years and that day a butterfly just flew around me like constantly and you know I knew I was kind of like a reminder that you know she was around and everything was going to be all right so I was felt good we do two more I wanted to ask you about your grandmother and just um with your upbringing how do you think lessons that she's imparted on you will help you as you navigate this new situation yeah um well I come from uh a hardworking and a supportive family um and I always trust in and believe in the men above that how that he will lead me in the right direction and never Le me wrong so um she she raised me to always uh put God First Trust and Believe in his plan and um it's not always your time is his time and his time is always perfect so that's why I always believe in and um you know she raised me to you know always have great manners be respect be respectful and earn everything that I want out of life and never give up on my dream and and what I want to accomplish Eric uh AFC North was the the best division in football last year uh with what you you guys and Derrick Henry the other teams what they've done how much better do you think this division has already gotten better a weekend for you you know I haven't really studied it I mean I've seen some movement obviously a few of our competitors have taken some of our players um you know happens every year I mean every year we look at the AFC North they draft well they sign good players they have a a way of doing things um but let's not forget we'll be there too and I love our team I love our roster we have some challenges ahead but we're going to be ready to play in September all right than