It appears Derrick Henry’s time with the Tennessee Titans might be drawing to a close after an impressive eight-season stint, though a return hasn’t been entirely ruled out, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Fowler shared on X, previously known as Twitter, that while it’s improbable Derrick Henry will return to the Titans after eight remarkable seasons, the possibility hasn’t been entirely dismissed.
Henry, with 9,502 career rushing yards, ranks just behind Eddie George (10,009 yards) as the Titans/Oilers franchise’s second-leading rusher.
Currently, he leads all active NFL players in rushing yards. Henry’s career also boasts 90 touchdowns, placing him alongside Hall of Fame running backs Curtis Martin and Eric Dickerson at 13th on the all-time list.
In his tenure with the Titans, Henry earned the Offensive Player of the Year award, was selected for four Pro Bowls, and was named a first-team All-Pro once.
Despite his frustration with the Titans’ 6-11 record this season, Henry amassed 1,167 rushing yards and scored 12 touchdowns over 17 games, in addition to catching 28 passes for 214 yards.
Even at 30 years old in 2023, Henry’s average yards after contact, 3.32, was on par with the NFL’s top running back, Christian McCaffrey. Pro Football Focus rated him with a 90.2 overall grade, second only to McCaffrey.
In the offseason, discussions between Henry, new Titans coach Brian Callahan, and general manager Ran Carthon about the possibility of Henry staying have been positive.
Carthon, at the NFL Scouting Combine, mentioned, “Derrick and I had a good conversation on the way out, and he knows where we are, and we know where he is. We don’t usually discuss the contract status of players publicly. But we’re in a good position to do what’s necessary. When it’s time to have those conversations, we’ll have them with Derrick and his representatives.”
Henry is set to enter the NFL’s legal tampering period on March 11, allowing him to engage with other teams, with free agent signings starting on March 13.
Pro Football Focus estimates Henry could secure a two-year deal worth $10 million annually.
