La Canfora has his doubts about Ravens' Derrick Henry signing: 'For that money I want Aaron Jones'

There’s no denying that Derrick Henry, at any given moment, can be one of the most dominant backs in the NFL. But those dominant performances are becoming fewer and far between as he gets older at a position that is tough to thrive in later in a player’s career.

The Ravens added Henry on a reported two-year, $16 million deal. The 30-year-old has led the league in rushing attempts each of the last two seasons, and led the league in rushing yards in 2019 and 2020. He’s coming off a 2023 season in which he had 1,167 yards rushing on 280 carries with 12 touchdowns.

But the NFL as a whole is shifting away from running backs that are into their 30s, and Henry has a lot of miles on his tires. That, Jason La Canfora said Tuesday on Inside Access, is reason to be concerned.

“I think Father Time is incredibly cruel to running backs,” La Canfora said. “I think he’s way older than his birth age, to me he’s a 33- 34-year-old running back, not 30. I know the cast wasn’t great around him last year, but I don’t think he’s what he was. I have a lot of trepidation about this signing. I much further, much greater preferred Aaron Jones.

You’re talking about somebody (in Henry) who’s run the ball, the last five years, 332 times more than anybody else in the NFL. Let that sink in for a minute, that’s a five-year sample size, regular season and playoffs. … You’re buying him for his age 30 season? This is a buyer beware for me, I would not have made a play for this player. I hope I’m wrong.”

Jones landed with the Minnesota Vikings on a reported one-year, $7 million deal after the Packers cut him in favor of Josh Jacobs. Jones remains an every down back though, and is a year younger than Henry.

"I wanted any every down back, he’s not an every down back," La Canfora said of Henry. "For $9 million, I want a guy who is my first choice throwing the ball to him at that position, and handing it off to him at that position. And about the volume, this isn’t Keaton Mitchell, this isn’t a guy who can hit you a home run cold. This guy needs volume. …

"I think he’s on the decline, and this to me is (Odell Beckham Jr.) 2.0 at a different position. He’s a league average runner the last two years, 4.3 yards per carry. The last two years, Aaron Jones is No. 1 in success rate. Derrick Henry is 39th. For that money I want Aaron Jones."