Derrick Henry

Titans Haven’t Received Calls For RB Derrick Henry

April 24th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Since early in the offseason, rumors have circulated around the availability of Titans running back Derrick Henry. Just before the free agency period officially opened, rumors came out that Tennessee was shopping their star offensive player. According to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, though, general manager Ran Carthon continues to refute the veracity of those rumors.

It’s hard to know who to believe since the sources of both rumors are general managers in the league. The sources of the initial rumor were reportedly all active general managers who claimed the Titans were attempting to deal the bell cow back. Just two weeks ago, more reports surfaced that the team was not only making Henry available but quarterback Ryan Tannehill, as well.

Carthon himself seems to be the only one claiming that there is no truth to the rumors. Nearly a month ago, Patra reported that Carthon had called the reports “erroneous.” He said as much in his pre-draft press conference today, as well, claiming he hasn’t received any calls for Henry, which isn’t nearly as pointed as saying they aren’t trying to trade him. He has called the reports “smoke,” thinking that some are just hoping Henry will become available.

As for Tannehill, Carthon had some conversations with the veteran passer about the Titans doing their fair share of homework on potential first-round quarterbacks. “Ryan knows where he stands with us. And that’s really all that matter to me,” Carton said on the matter.

Both players make sense on the trading block, and it makes sense that the Titans aren’t able to get much interest for them. Henry’s heavy usage has deteriorated his trade value over time, and Tannehill, at 34 years old, has found success in Tennessee but has never been a game changer behind center. Combine that with the fact that Tannehill is set for a $36.6MM cap hit in 2023, and Henry has a cap hit of $16.37MM, and there’s not a ton of questions concerning the lack of calls.

The Titans have moved on from a few offensive weapons over the last two offseasons, and so far, it has appeared that Henry and Tannehill are on the shelf, as well. No matter the optics and rumors, though, Carthon is sticking to his guns and assuring that the team has no intentions of trading King Henry.

Titans’ Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill Available In Trades?

April 12th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having moved on from several starters this offseason, new Titans GM Ran Carthon is now in charge of a roster carrying two contract-year cornerstones. The deals Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry signed back in 2020 expire after this coming season.

Rumblings about the Titans shopping Henry circulated just before free agency, and while the two-time rushing champion remains on Tennessee’s roster, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes the team is indeed open to moving him. Tannehill should also be monitored as a trade candidate, La Canfora adds.

The Titans have been connected to quarterbacks in this draft for weeks; they hosted Will Levis on Tuesday and will meet with Anthony Richardson. Though, trade-up scenarios also may involve Tannehill staying put and serving as a bridge player ahead of a 2024 separation. The team cutting the cord now would obviously intensify its need at the position and raise the stakes for Carthon’s first draft as a GM. Tannehill is due a $27MM base salary, and his $36.6MM cap number tops the Titans’ payroll by more than $15MM.

Tannehill’s run of health as a Titan came to an end last season; Tennessee’s starter finished the season on IR after ankle surgery. Tannehill’s unavailability was among the Titans’ top issues in 2022. While Tannehill’s 2019 resurgence elevated the Titans and began a stretch of three consecutive playoff berths for the AFC South franchise, the QB’s high paragraph 5 salary and age (35 in July) will not give the Titans a strong trade market. It would also cost the Titans $18.8MM in dead money to trade Tannehill before June 1.

Teams have already made moves to bring in veteran options as well. The Titans, who acquired Tannehill for just fourth- and seventh-round picks back in 2019, can bolster their draft capital by dealing their four-year starter in the next two weeks. The team could also eat some of Tannehill’s salary to prompt a better offer. Absent many logical suitors, however, it would surprise if a major trade package became available — barring an unexpected injury affecting a team’s depth chart. Waiting on an injury would put the Titans in the same place the 49ers resided with Jimmy Garoppolo last year, but as of now, the team does not have another starter-caliber option on the roster. The new Titans regime does not appear too intrigued by Malik Willis, La Canfora adds, given the 2022 third-rounder’s rookie-year struggles.

Even as Henry missed half the 2021 season with a foot fracture, his 6,042 rushing yards since 2019 lead all rushers in that span by nearly 700. The Titans also authorized a raise for their dominant back last year, but the GM who signed off on that — Jon Robinson — was fired months later. Henry is tied to a $10.5MM base salary this season. The eighth-year back rebounded from his foot injury to amass 1,538 rushing yards — two shy of the total he won the 2019 rushing title with — but he logged an NFL-high 349 carries.

Henry, 28, is undoubtedly near the end of his run, and the Titans would be unlikely to obtain too much in a trade. The team did experience issues finding a Henry backup, but D’Onta Foreman ran effectively in the Alabama alum’s absence in 2021. Henry’s unique presence in the modern game aside, the Titans would have a more difficult time replacing Tannehill. Austin Ekeler‘s struggle finding a trade partner also shows what might await the Titans if they were to insist on trading Henry.

Tennessee extracted considerable value from Tannehill’s $29.5MM-per-year deal and Henry’s $12.5MM-AAV pact. Whether the Titans trade up for a quarterback and how they navigate a running back-rich draft will be telling, but for now, their offense still centers around Robinson-era investments.

Titans Shopping RB Derrick Henry?

March 12th, 2023 at 10:36am CST by Ely Allen

MARCH 12: Sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that Tennessee is not, in fact, shopping Henry. Despite a number of recent (and expected) cuts, the Titans should again be able to compete for a playoff spot in a suspect AFC South, and dealing the focal point of their offense would obviously undermine those efforts (though new GM Ran Carthon indicated he is open to spreading some of Henry’s workload around to other players, as Terry McCormick of The Portland Sun writes).

MARCH 6: Although the free agency period has not officially begun, teams often engage in light conversations with other teams at the NFL scouting combine, gauging interest and market value in certain assets. Team officials will also start shopping players that they might be willing to trade, as was the case this past week with the Titans shopping star running back Derrick Henry, according to Michael Silver of Bally Sports.

Silver claims his sources were all current NFL general managers who report that Tennessee was attempting to deal their bell cow back. Henry is currently headed into a contract year, in which he will hold a $16.37MM cap hit. The veteran running back has already far exceeded the average career of most NFL running backs, an exceedingly impressive feat considering the physical nature of Henry’s playing style. There’s nothing to suggest that Henry doesn’t still have plenty of gas left in the tank.

That’s not for lack of trying on the Titans’ part. In three of the last four years, Henry has led the NFL in rush attempts. In that fourth year, Henry had 219 carries in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury. In a 17-game season last year, Henry was on pace for 465 carries, which would’ve been an NFL record. This excessive usage has resulted in some very strong seasons for Henry. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2019 and 2020, breaking the 2,000-yard rushing mark in the latter season. In the 2021 injury-shortened season, Henry was on pace to be approach 2,000 yards rushing for the second straight year. He’s also recorded double-digit touchdowns every season since his second year in the league, including the eight-game 2021 season.

Which teams might be interested in acquiring the bruising runner? There certainly are some strong options for Henry. He may find himself joining Sean Payton‘s first team in Denver. The Broncos have plenty of names under contract next year with Javonte Williams, Chase Edmonds, Damarea Crockett, and Tyler Badie. Williams is expected to be the starter, but after a strong rookie season, injuries held Williams back in Year 2. The Dolphins are another team that could utilize Henry. They currently don’t have any running backs under contract as Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin, Raheem Mostert, and Jeff Wilson are all headed towards free agency. Lastly, the Saints could certainly find themselves in need of a lead running back, depending on what happens with Alvin Kamara.

Even at 29 years old, Henry would be a huge addition to any of these franchises. For one whose past career would indicate a player with not much tread left on the tires, Henry shows no signs of slowing down. The Titans may not be willing to shell out for Henry’s final year, but odds are that some team will.

Titans To Start Joshua Dobbs Vs. Cowboys

December 29th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans are not exactly going into Thursday night’s Cowboys game with a clear intent to win. The injury-plagued team is planning to rest numerous starters, with a Week 18 date against the Jaguars set to determine its playoff fate.

But Tennessee will make an interesting change at quarterback. Rather than give Malik Willis more reps in his rookie season, the Titans are preparing to start recent acquisition Joshua Dobbs, Justin Melo of The Draft Network tweets. Tennessee brought in Dobbs on Dec. 21, with Ryan Tannehill out with an ankle injury. Tannehill is not expected to return this season, though the starter has not shut it down just yet.

A former Tennessee Volunteer, Dobbs has bounced around in the pros. The sixth-year backup has been with three teams just this year, moving from Cleveland to Detroit to Nashville over the past month. The former fourth-round pick has not thrown any regular-season passes this season; his most recent game work came in 2020 with the Steelers. The Browns signed Dobbs this offseason and used him as Jacoby Brissett‘s backup for much of the year, but once Deshaun Watson was eligible to play, Cleveland cut bait. Dobbs landed in Detroit, but Tennessee poached him from the Lions’ practice squad.

Dobbs has seen most of his NFL work come in the preseason, and the Titans’ Week 17 lineup will have the look of an August matchup. Tennessee placed O-line starters Nate Davis and Ben Jones on IR last week, and the team will be without right tackle starter Nicholas Petit-Frere against Dallas. With Taylor Lewan out of the picture, the Titans will deploy basically a second-string O-line tonight. While Willis’ early work points to extensive development being needed, the Titans may be leery of putting the third-round pick behind this set of blockers against a top-tier Cowboys pass rush.

In an arrangement that will surely test Al Michaels’ patience, Titans will also sit Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry, Amani Hooker, Bud Dupree and Zach Cunningham. Oh, and they are unlikely to deploy Derrick Henry, who is doubtful with a hip injury. This sets up an unusual Week 17 and an odd Week 18 plan. The Titans look like they will be trying to salvage their season in Jacksonville next week on the heels of a six-game losing streak. Even if the Titans drop to 7-9 tonight, the AFC South will be on the line next week.

Willis has shown some promise in the run game but has looked woefully overmatched through the air. The mid-major product has not eclipsed 100 passing yards in any of his three pro starts and has a 0-3 TD-INT ratio on 61 pass attempts. It will be interesting if the Titans turn back to Willis or go with Dobbs (17 career attempts) against the Jaguars, when they reconvene for relevant football, next week.

Titans Give RB Derrick Henry Raise

September 1st, 2022 at 1:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derrick Henry will collect a bit more money than expected this season. The Titans authorized a $2MM raise for the two-time rushing champion, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Tennessee is taking $2MM off Henry’s 2023 salary, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter), bumping his 2022 wages from $12MM to $14MM. Thursday’s agreement does not change Henry’s contractual timeline, however. Henry remains signed through the 2023 season, but this deal bumps him to the top of the running backs list for 2022 cash, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds (via Twitter).

This raise is contingent on Henry’s availability, but it also will provide cash to the All-Pro sooner in the form of a $9MM signing bonus, Florio adds. This popular genre of restructure will create cap space for the Titans, who have dropped Henry’s 2022 base salary from $12MM to $4MM. The other $1MM in the $2MM bump will be available through gameday roster bonuses, which will only pay out if Henry is active for Tennessee contests. Henry missed nine of those last season.

This does set up the possibility of 2022 being Henry’s final year on his current deal. Should the bulldozing back re-emerge from his injury-abbreviated 2021 season with another strong year, the Titans may end up rewarding him again. This restructure also stands to make it more difficult for the Titans to move on from Henry in 2023. Prior to Thursday’s reworking, the Titans would have only incurred $3MM in dead money by releasing Henry. A higher charge would come from such a transaction now. Henry’s 2023 cap hit also will rise from its previous $15.5MM place.

The prospect of a new Henry deal emerged earlier this offseason. His current pact (four years, $50MM; agreed to at the 2020 franchise tag deadline) is not exactly out of step with the slow-moving (at the top, at least) running back market, but Florio adds the thinking behind this move is a third Henry contract could come to pass before next season. Henry’s deal is in line with the contracts given to Nick Chubb Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones and Joe Mixon — each of whom being attached to a contract between $12-$12.6MM per year — though it does sit behind Christian McCaffrey ($16MM), Ezekiel Elliott and Alvin Kamara ($15MM).

A discussion on releasing Henry next year is obviously premature, but running back declines happen earlier than they do at just about every other position. The Jones fracture the former Heisman winner suffered derailed a monster 2021 season — one in which he still finished in the top 10 in rushing yards despite the two-month absence — and does invite questions about his future form. Henry will turn 29 before season’s end.

That said, Tennessee should need Henry more in 2022 than it did last season. After letting backup D’Onta Foreman walk in free agency, the Titans traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles. The player the team brought in to replace the Pro Bowl wideout, first-round pick Treylon Burks, has also not shown readiness to be a locked-in early-season starter. With trade acquisition Robert Woods also coming off an ACL tear, the Titans will need their cornerstone skill player to bounce back.

Tennessee also lost two of its 2021 starting O-line, cutting guard Rodger Saffold and letting right tackle David Quessenberry leave as a UFA for Buffalo, potentially raising the degree of difficulty for Henry’s seventh season. Prior to Henry’s foot fracture, however, he had missed just two games through 5 1/2 seasons. The Titans will hope the previous career trend, despite the steep mileage put on Henry’s odometer from 2019-21, is more indicative of Henry’s path than his 2021 season is.

Titans RB Derrick Henry Open To Extension

June 18th, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard last month that the Titans were interested in extending Derrick Henry. Well, it sounds like the star running back is open to an extension, as well. Speaking to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, Henry said he’d be interested in signing another deal with Tennessee.

“It’s always good to get a promotion at your job,” Henry said. “A promotion is always good. I’m trying to work through that but I’m currently still under contract. If that’s what the future holds, then yeah, that’d be great.”

Back in 2020, Henry inked a four-year, $50MM deal that would keep him on the Titans through the 2023 campaign. In terms of average annual value, the deal ranks fifth at the position (behind Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, and Dalvin Cook). While he’s coming off a significant injury, Henry has otherwise been healthy throughout his NFL career, so an extension could help him climb that AAV leaderboard. At the very least, a new extension could garner Henry some addition guarantees while carving out some extra space for the Titans.

Henry was prolific in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and he carried that production over to 2021. Through the first eight games, the RB compiled 1,091 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. While his yards per carry was way down (5.4 in 2020 to 4.3 in 2021), he was on track to have a career year in the receiving game. A foot injury knocked him out for the final nine games of the regular season, and while he managed to return for the Titans playoff loss, most of his offseason focus has been on his health.

“I’m doing a lot of footwork, making sure that I am finding my toes, he always tells me that when I am working out, just so I am balancing my foot,” Henry told Kuharsky. “I feel good, I am running hills, doing restricted running, all those types of things to make sure I am ready.”

Titans Considering Derrick Henry Extension?

May 18th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derrick Henry is coming off his first significant injury as a pro, having missed nine regular-season games before returning for the Titans’ divisional-round tilt. But the two-time rushing champion had amassed a staggering lead on the rest of the NFL at the time he suffered the foot ailment; he still finished ninth in rushing last season.

The Titans have Henry signed through 2023, by virtue of the four-year, $50MM extension the parties agreed to just before the 2020 franchise tag deadline. But the team is open to doing another deal with its star running back, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes.

Although third running back contracts for notable sums are exceedingly rare in the modern NFL, another Henry-Titans pact would help the team create near-future cap space. Henry would also collect some guaranteed money; the guarantees on his current deal ended after last season. A new deal, however, could tag Tennessee with dead money down the road. As is, Henry is attached to $15MM cap numbers in 2022 and ’23. The Titans are near the bottom of the NFL in cap space, holding barely $3MM.

Since paying Henry two summers ago, the Titans have opted not to extend Corey Davis, Jonnu Smith and A.J. Brown. Henry and Robert Woods‘ nonguaranteed contracts represent the only noteworthy veteran salaries among Titan skill-position players presently. Tennessee’s post-Brown plan will place pressure on first-round pick Treylon Burks, who will essentially replace the traded wide receiver, and for Henry to keep delivering top-shelf backfield work.

Henry is entering his age-28 season. He compiled workhorse carry totals for the past two-plus seasons, but his first three years — when he spent much of that time alongside DeMarco Murray — kept those numbers down. Henry’s per-carry average did drop to 4.3 last season, down from north of five yards per tote in 2019 and ’20, and he is sitting on 1,401 career carries (second-most among projected starting backs, behind only Ezekiel Elliott‘s 1,650). It will be interesting to see what kind of effect Henry’s recent handoff counts (303 in 2019, 378 in 2020 and 219 in an abbreviated ’21) have on his 2022 form.

Titans Expect Derrick Henry To Be Fully Healthy In 2022

January 24th, 2022 at 12:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans were indeed able to get superstar running back Derrick Henry back in the lineup on Saturday, marking an impressive return to the field after suffering what was initially thought to be a season-ending injury. While Tennessee wound up on the losing end of that game, it is expected that he will be fully healthy for the beginning of next season.

As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel addressed his star’s health status at a press conference on Monday. He said, “I think he’s fully healed. I know he’s fully healed”, referring to the Jones Fracture Henry suffered in Week 8. Vrabel added, “I’m sure he’ll have a great offseason”, paving the way for the 28-year-old to carry on as the league’s preeminent workhouse back.

When asked whether wear and tear led to the injury, Vrabel responded that he “didn’t get that sense from any doctor”. Henry had 219 carries in those first eight games, putting him on pace for the highest total of his career. He was ultimately able to work his way back to full health in time for the Divisional Round, allowing the team to give him 20 carries against the Bengals, although he managed to turn those into just 62 yards.

Considering the production Henry had in less than half of one season (a league-leading 937 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns), it would of course be a huge boost to the Titans if he were to be healed and able to pick up where he left off in 2022.

Titans Activate RB Derrick Henry

January 21st, 2022 at 3:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the precipice of a long-rumored return, Derrick Henry is all but set to take the field Saturday. The two-time rushing champion is back on the Titans’ active roster.

The Titans activated Henry from IR on Friday. This is a procedural move, with Henry needing to be bumped up to the active roster by this afternoon in order to play against the Bengals. Linked to returning in the playoffs for several weeks now, the bulldozing running back is now eligible to do so.

Henry has not played since Week 8 but returned to practice Jan. 5. Despite missing more than half the season, Tennessee’s sixth-year back finished in the top 10 in rushing. The Titans gave their superstar an extra week to rehab by securing the AFC’s top seed. It will be interesting to see how the team deploys Henry, considering his lengthy absence due to a foot fracture.

The NFL’s rushing champion in 2019 and ’20, Henry played a significant role in Ryan Tannehill‘s turnaround and in the Titans advancing to the playoffs during those seasons. He was on pace for another 2,000-yard season this year, but the Halloween injury stalled his run. During Henry’s hiatus, the Titans landed on D’Onta Foreman as their starter. The former third-round pick should still be expected to play a role against Cincinnati, but Henry has moved back into position to reclaim his starting job.

Latest On Titans’ Backfield Situation

January 8th, 2022 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although a Derrick Henry return in Week 18 surfaced as a possibility weeks ago, the Titans will remain cautious with the two-time reigning rushing champion.

Tennessee will not activate Henry from IR on Saturday, keeping him shelved until the playoffs. The Titans designated Henry for return this week, giving them options moving forward. Henry’s ramp-up period can last up until before the AFC championship game, should the Titans’ season extend that far. But the team has long been preparing to have its top weapon ready to go before that point.

Henry has been out since suffering a Jones fracture in his foot in Week 8. The Titans initially struggled to pick up the pieces, and they moved on from Adrian Peterson fairly quickly. However, the AFC South champs have since seen D’Onta Foreman — also a midseason pickup following Henry’s injury — begin to establish himself as a starter. Foreman has notched three 100-yard games over his past five. Should Henry indeed return to action in the playoffs, Foreman would stand to be a key off-the-bench performer.

For now, however, the Titans are reshuffling their backfield. One of the early candidates to replace Henry, Jeremy McNichols, is no longer on the roster. The Titans waived the veteran backup Saturday and promoted Jordan Wilkins from their practice squad. A former Colts fifth-round pick, Wilkins caught on with the Titans after a midseason Indianapolis exit. He joins Dontrell Hilliard alongside Foreman on Tennessee’s active roster.

Wilkins topped 5.5 yards per carry in each of his first two seasons, playing behind Marlon Mack, and eclipsed 300 rushing yards in each of his first three. Now rostering the NFL’s rushing leader in Jonathan Taylor, the Colts dropped Wilkins this season. A former Buccaneers fifth-round pick who also spent time with the Colts, McNichols has been with the Titans for the past two seasons. He is averaging just 3.8 yards per carry this year, on 41 totes, and saw Foreman take over the backfield down the stretch.

The Titans also promoted defensive linemen Da’Shawn Hand and Kevin Strong on Saturday. The team has a chance to clinch home-field advantage for the first time since 2008 Sunday. A win over the Texans would secure Tennessee the AFC’s No. 1 seed. This would obviously be beneficial for both the Titans and Henry. The Chiefs would recapture the conference’s top slot with a win over the Broncos today and a subsequent Titans loss.

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