It doesn’t seem like that long ago when Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry was the subject on trade talks — on more than just one occasion.
That all seems preposterous now, as Henry finished out the season with the NFL’s rushing title over the Cleveland Browns’ Nick Chubb, and is arguably the most key component of a Titans offense that has flipped the script and found a great amount of success this year.
The former Alabama rusher is set to become a free agent this spring, so what should the Titans pay him?
Giving him a contract with the big bucks on a multi-year deal may not be the best option for Tennessee, but it would probably serve them well to franchise tag him and extend quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s deal to keep him in Nashville for at least a couple more years.
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Regardless, after the success he’s had on the 2019 season where he’s racked up 1,917 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns between the regular season and the postseason, we can expect to see the Titans significantly up Henry’s pay this offseason.
It will be interesting to see how long Henry plays at the level he’s playing at right now, and this will be something the Titans should consider ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft with top prospects like Georgia’s D’Andre Swift, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor and Clemson’s Travis Etienne available to eventually take Henry’s place further on down the line.
Henry and the Titans will face the Kansas City Chiefs next in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday in Arrowhead Stadium at 2:05 p.m. CST on Sunday.
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