How Derrick Henry's Big New Payday Compares To Saquon Barkley's: Age Matters

Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley were inarguably the NFL's two best running backs last season and this offseason both are harvesting the fruits of their labor with seismic contract extensions.

Henry on Wednesday agreed to a two-year extension with the Baltimore Ravens worth $30 million, a league source confirmed. ESPN was first to report the deal.

That comes a month after Barkley got an enormous raise from the Philadelphia Eagles when he signed a two-year extension worth $41.25 million.

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs off the field after win against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Big Deals For Both Henry and Barkley

And, yes, both these guys earned their new payday.

Barkley led the NFL with 2,005 rushing yards last season. Henry, meanwhile, was second in rushing with 1,921 yards.

Again – the two most productive and best backs in the NFL in 2024.

But the reward each got for their work is obviously not too similar.

Barkley's extension reset the running back market for the entire NFL. He became the first running back ever to climb to the $20 million per season mark on an annual average basis.

Henry was the 13th highest-paid running back in the league until Wednesday. And his new money average of $15 million per season will vault him to the third-highest paid running back in the league on an annual average basis. Christian McCaffrey is second at $19 million. 

The Cincinnati Bengals take down Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry at Payor Stadium in NFL Week 5. (Cara Owsley/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Henry 2024 Better In Some Respects

So there's a difference here.

The interesting thing is that the only other difference between these two players is age. Henry is 31 years old and his contract is the highest ever for a running back over 30. And Barkley is 28 years old and his deal is the biggest ever.

And that age difference is apparently the biggest reason Barkley is averaging more than $5 million per season more in salary than Henry and will get $36 million fully guaranteed while Henry will get $25 million. 

And this is where yard-counters will say Barkley is getting more because he won the rushing crown with more yards. 

Maybe.

But the fact is Henry last year averaged 5.9 yards per carry compared to Barkley's 5.8. And Henry raised his rushing average in the postseason to 6.4 yards per carry, while Barkley saw his rushing average drop slightly in the postseason to 5.5 yards per carry.

And Henry scored 16 touchdowns compared to Barkley's 13 in the regular season.

It can be argued Henry had every bit as productive and impressive a season as Barkley. Indeed, if you added the 20 fewer carries Henry got during the year than Barkley, he might've had more rushing yards, too.

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson hands off to RB Derrick Henry (22) against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

Henry-Jackson Combo Rolls On

To be clear: Henry is clearly satisfied with his new deal.

It could be the last one he'll ever have to sign. It locks him through the 2027 season with a very good Baltimore team that boasts a very good running and passing complement in quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

So, what just happened to Henry on Wednesday is great.

But is it as great as what happened to Barkley in March after a seemingly comparable season? 

Nope.