Derrick Henry to Ravens; Irv Smith Jr. to Chiefs

King Henry is coming to the AFC North.

NFL free agency is off and running, and we’ve already seen a host of moves made by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now, we have a pair of moves made by two of the Bengals’ biggest rivals.

On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens agreed to a two-year deal with Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. It’s reportedly worth $16 million for one of the 2-3 best backs in the NFL, so it’s safe to say this is a great deal for the likely AFC North favorites entering the 2024 season.

Elsewhere, former Bengals tight end Irv Smith Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now entering his ninth NFL season, Henry is well on his way to being a Pro Football Hall of Fame selection after the career he’s had to this point. The former Alabama standout has 2,030 career carries for 9,502 yards (4.7 avg) and 90 touchdowns. He’s also caught 155 passes for 1,458 yards and two scores.

This past season, the 29-year-old Henry racked up 1,167 yards and 12 scores on 280 runs (4.2 avg) for the rebuilding Titans. He now joins a Ravens team that loves to pound the rock. Playing alongside Lamar Jackson should ensure Baltimore remains one of the league’s top Super Bowl contenders.

As for the defending champs, the Chiefs landed Smith following a forgettable one-year stint with the Bengals. In 12 games (six starts), the sixth-year veteran caught just 18 passes for 115 yards (6.4 avg) and one touchdown. It was a given that the Bengals would not re-sign him, and that’s even truer after the team landed Mike Gesicki and extended Drew Sample.

Smith figures to be the Chiefs No. 2/3 tight end behind All-Pro Travis Kelce.