The New York Giants might have helped their own offense with the selection of Cam Skattebo, but they also accidentally complicated things for the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore is currently in a quiet but critical standoff with star running back Derrick Henry, who’s entering the final year of his two-year deal. After a monstrous season with over 2,100 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns, Henry has every reason to push for a well-earned extension. The Ravens, for their part, would love to get one done—but they’ve also quietly enjoyed having some fallback leverage. Until now.
With the Giants snagging Skattebo at the top of Round 4, the last “Henry-like” hammer in the draft is officially off the board—and that subtle leverage Baltimore had might have just disappeared.
Giants may have crushed Ravens’ contingency plan at running back
Let’s be clear: Cam Skattebo is no Derrick Henry clone. He’s 5-foot-9, not 6-foot-3. He’s 219 pounds, not 250. But if you squint a little? You see it. Skattebo punishes defenders in ways that few backs coming out of college can. He thrives on contact, runs with a finisher’s mentality, and plays angry from the first snap to the last. Sound familiar?
Even though the physical profiles don’t align perfectly, Skattebo was arguably the only back in this draft cycle who embodied the same relentless punishment style that makes Henry such a nightmare for defenses. And now he’s off the board—to a team that won’t be giving him back.
It’s a sneaky big loss for Baltimore. With Skattebo gone, the remaining options don’t carry the same edge or profile. That means if the Ravens can’t strike a deal with Henry soon, they can’t realistically pivot to a younger (and cheaper) insurance option. The draft board made the choice for them.
Henry’s camp already had plenty of ammunition, especially after Saquon Barkley reset the market with his record-breaking Eagles deal. Now, Baltimore’s slim hope of replacing Henry’s bruising presence through the draft is gone.
Whether they want to admit it or not, the Giants just did Henry’s negotiation team a huge favor. And when the dust settles, it might cost the Ravens a lot more than they originally planned.
