Tag: Willie Taggert

In March, the Baltimore Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry to a two-year deal to open up their free agency. Henry had long been rumored to join Baltimore dating back to last year’s trade deadline, and the two sides finally paired up.

Henry has been working to ensure he can get up to speed with his new team by the time the season begins. Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart described Henry’s work habits as “elite,” saying he hates to do anything wrong.

“Elite. [Derrick Henry] is a guy that hates doing anything wrong. Like, it literally pisses him off to do anything wrong, and I’ve got to remind him, ‘Hey, Derrick, it’s practice. That’s why they call it practice. We’re going to make some mistakes at times, but just don’t make the same one twice.’ But he wants to be the best, and he wants to know everything that’s going on. When he’s not here, he’s texting me, asking me what we put in, or if he’s watching film, he’s asking me something about what’s on the film [and] what we’re doing. It’s been great, as a coach, to have a guy like that, that’s played this long, still wanting to play at a high level.”

Henry will join one of the best-rushing offenses in the NFL and hopes to be a force in the team’s backfield this season. He is still an incredibly dominant player and should work well next to quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The Baltimore Ravens are looking to continue their ground game dominance after a successful 2023 regular season of running the ball effectively. Running backs Gus Edwards and Keaton Mitchell led the charge last season alongside quarterback Lamar Jackson, but now free agent addition Derrick Henry will get the call to be Baltimore’s next big running back.

Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart was asked about Henry’s fit in the team’s scheme, which runs more shotguns, and how he would factor in. Taggart said he questioned that fit until he arrived, but he’s been impressed with the way Henry moves at his size.

“You know what? Coming in, I … [After] watching the film in Tennessee, that was a concern; like, ‘We’re in the [shotgun], and we run from the gun, and how would Derrick [Henry] be in it?’ And I’m not going to lie, I questioned that, until he got here, and [I saw] the big man move his feet, and I’m like, ‘Woah.’ It’s really impressive for a guy that size to move the way he does. And he’s got, not necessarily Zay Flowers’ feet, but from a big guy, he’s pretty swifty on his feet and [has] great vision and all. But seeing him do it from the gun, I don’t have any … I don’t think we’ll have any problem doing it. And, we’ll also be under center. We do some things under center, as well. But Derrick is an athlete. He’s a big athlete, and I don’t think he’ll have any problem with anything we ask him to do. If we want him to go out at receiver, I think Derrick would go out there and get that done, as well.” (Reporter: “Return kickoff?”) “He’ll do that, as well, if that’s what we need him to do. I wouldn’t want to be the one to tackle him – from that standpoint – as he gets going.”

Henry is known for his hulking size but also has deceptive speed and agility in his game. Baltimore is adding a multi-dimensional player to their offensive unit, and it should fit right into what the team tries to do.