The Baltimore Ravens acquired the best contract of the NFL offseason.

Few free agent deals have made more sense than the Baltimore Ravens signing running back Derrick Henry this offseason.

It’s just a matter of being able to stay healthy and buck the trend of runners slowing down as they reach their 30s. If Henry could do that, Baltimore would have a chance to create one of the league’s most formidable backfield tandems with him and Lamar Jackson.

Henry exceeded what anyone could have expected of him after joining the Ravens and became the top free agent signing last offseason. He’s in contention for his second Offensive Player of the Year award and could push his way into the MVP race if he keeps up the pace he’s on.

How well did Henry play in seven games?

Henry leads the NFL in the following categories: rushing attempts, yards, rushing touchdowns, yards per run, yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. He also has the longest run of the season with his 87-yard rushing touchdown in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage.

Henry rushed for 873 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He passed for 130 yards in four of Baltimore’s seven games this season and scored a rushing touchdown in every game until a 41-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. .

Henry rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries against Tampa Bay, which had a top-10 rushing defense heading into the game.

While Henry’s play proves how much of a deal it was for the Ravens to sign him, the value they got for him easily makes him one of the best signings in recent memory. Henry’s two-year, $16 million contract ranked 59th in value among free agents. Among running backs, Henry finished sixth behind D’Andre Swift (Chicago Bears), Tony Pollard (Tennessee Titans) and Devin Singletary (New York Giants).

The only other free agent to make as much of an impact as Henry is Green Bay Packers cornerback Xavier McKinney, who has five interceptions in seven games. Even so, the All-Pro running back operates on a different level compared to other running backs.

Every free agent deal comes with question marks, but through seven games, Henry has emerged as the best player of the offseason. If he keeps up this pace, the Ravens could have a pair of MVP candidates on their team heading into the home stretch of the season.

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