The former Alabama rusher is set to become a free agent this spring, so what should the Titans pay him?
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.
Monday night’s national title showdown between LSU and Clemson is loaded with top prospects for the 2020 NFL draft
This coming Monday all eyes will be on the National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana. While both teams are playing for college football immortality, for select players it goes beyond their final game in a college uniform.
There will be plenty NFL scouts in attendance as they get one final opportunity to put their notes together in a game before the offseason bowl games, combines and pro day workouts.
LSU TIGERS
QB Joe Burrow
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
At this point it seems like a foregone conclusion that Burrow will be the number one overall selection at this point. His Heisman season put him on the map and with the Cincinnati Bengals likely done with the Andy Dalton era all but over, look for Burrow to take off one tigers jersey and trade it for one in orange and black.
Donnetta Etienne, the mother of Clemson star running back Travis Etienne, is being inundated with disturbing talk heading into Clemson’s showdown against LSU on Jan. 13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in New Orleans.
Donnetta Etienne, the mother of Clemson star running back Travis Etienne, is being inundated with disturbing talk heading into Clemson’s showdown against LSU on Jan. 13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in New Orleans.
If you’re looking for speed and explosiveness at the running back position, Etienne is your guy.
His acceleration once he hits a running lane is nothing short of impressive, and he has the long speed to outrun defenders in the open field. He runs with determination and a high motor, fighting hard for extra yardage and churning his legs to try and run through would-be tacklers. Etienne also has very good contact balance for a speedster, as he can roll over the opposition and keep himself upright when he gets hit.
Etienne’s production at the collegiate level has been fantastic, too. Through three seasons, the Clemson back has 3,924 rushing yards, 54 touchdowns and an astounding 8.0 yards per carry. His proven ability to make big plays should attract NFL teams looking for a running back early in the draft.
Weaknesses
While Etienne possesses top-notch physical attributes, he could still improve his ball-carrier vision. He’s inconsistent in terms of showing patience and identifying the hole and can be too aggressive when shooting up the middle. He goes all-out on almost every play, but that speed should be adjusted when waiting behind blocks for a lane to emerge.
Though he has shown some improvement in the role in 2019, Etienne is still a bit raw and unproven as a receiver. Prior to this past year, he only had 17 catches in his first two seasons. He is raw running routes out of the backfield and doesn’t have very smooth hands. That inexperience could prevent him from being a three-down back early in his career.
Bottom Line
A speed demon with a high motor and a tough running style, Etienne has a very high upside with some more room to develop. If he irons out some wrinkles in his game, the sky’s the limit for him.
If Ohio State is going to be Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, it’ll have to follow and execute its game plan. Here are 3 keys to the game.
And here we are on the doorstep of the biggest game Ohio State football has had in three years (sorry Michigan). In fact, it was the last time the Buckeyes matched up with Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl that we had the same type of implications. The desired destination is the College Football Playoff after all. Hopefully though, things end a little better this time around.
There’s no way around it. Beating a Clemson team on top of the college football world right now is going to be a Lord of the Rings type of journey with everyone pulling their weight. But let it be known, despite most of the media-types out there siding with the Tigers in this one, Ohio State has the horses, athletes, and coaching to get it done.
However, there’s certain things that will have to go OSU’s way if it expects to slay the dragon and make it to the next step of the journey in New Orleans. From there, it’ll have the opportunity to win the program’s ninth national championship (depending on what and how you count).
So what exactly is do the Buckeyes have to do for this thing to have confetti falling on them rather than a Clemson team? Here’s three things we think have to happen to make that a possibility.
Both teams met with the media today at the Fiesta Bowl. Find out what select members of Clemson’s offense said about Ohio State.
While you were getting ready for Christmas and whatever shenanigans and celebrations you’ll be a part of tonight and tomorrow, the Fiesta Bowl set up a little media event for select Ohio State and Clemson players and coaches.
We normally bring you the comments of the other team after an Ohio State game, but in this case we have a ton of quotes from a few of the most notable players and coaches getting ready to suit up for the defending national champion Tigers.
We had defensive and offensive players and coaches to speak on what they saw on both sides of the ball for the Buckeyes and we’re bringing them all to you.
So, here we go, with the offensive players and coaches up first.
Ohio State vs. Clemson Enemy Territory Fiesta bowl preview. Get to know the Tigers https://t.co/8dv3Rt1xTN
Ohio State is ready to match up with the national champion Clemson Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl. Here’s the scouting report on the Tigers.
Before every game, we provide a preview of Ohio State football’s opponent for the upcoming week. It was a twelve game slate to the regular season, then the Big Ten Championship game, and now the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Buckeyes are taking on the ACC Champion and defending national champion Clemson Tigers. It’ll be a daunting task, but one the Buckeyes are hopefully up to. We’re here to give you all you need to know about a Clemson team on top of the college football world right now.
So, if you want to impress your friends while watching the game, we’ve got your cheat code right here. We do the research, you drop nuggets. You win on Saturdays. It’s as simple as that.
The season is winding down in a hurry and most fantasy championships happen this weekend. But that only involves two of team owners. What is of interest to all fantasy leaguers is starting to think ahead about 2020. The first quarterback – if not the first overall player – will be Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, quarterback for LSU. But rookie quarterbacks rarely post a significant season in their first season. Here are the current consensus Top-6 fantasy players for 2020 from the rookie crop.
RB D’Andre Swift (Georgia, 5-9, 215 lb. Junior)
You can see Swift in the Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor on Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m. EST.
Consensus first running back taken and expected to step into a three-down role in the NFL. Comes from the RB factory at Georgia along with Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. Good burst to the hole and has the whole package of speed, versatility, power, vision and cutting ability. He is in the Josh Jacobs vein – played great in college but wasn’t used nearly as much as other similar talent backs. Has plenty of tread left on the tire. This year, Swift already ran for 1,216 yards on 195 carries (6.2 YPC) and seven touchdowns. He also has caught as many as 32 passes in a season as well. He’s the complete package and yet wasn’t run into the ground in college.
WR Jerry Jeudy (Alabama, 6-1, 192 lb. Junior)
You can see Jeudy in the Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan, Jan, 1 at 12 p.m. EST. And yes, this is not the National Championship.
Jeudy is expected to be the next great wideout from Alabama. He very fast and has the athleticism to deal with double coverage – which he also saw – and he’s great at gaining separation and getting deep. But he is also great on short and intermediate routes with the ability to tack on yards after the catch. He can make contested catches but usually gets open and is a constant threat to score. He’s expected to step into a No. 1 role in the NFL.
RB Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin, 5-11, 219 lb. Junior)
You can see Taylor in the Rose Bowl vs. Oregon on Jan. 1, 5 p.m. EST
Taylor just sports prototypical size, quickness, and running ability. He can make the cuts to get into the open, has the speed to stay and features a wicked stiff arm just in case they catch up. Granted, he plays behind a great offensive line but he’s started all three years at Wisconsin and never gained fewer than 1,900 rushing yards. He ran for 2,194 yards on 307 carries (7.1 YPC) as a sophomore. As a junior, he’s also added receiving skills to the plate and gained 209 yards on 24 receptions. In three seasons, he’s totaled over 6,000 rushing yards. Last year he caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns (19.3 YPC).
RB Travis Etienne (Clemson, 5-10, 200 lb. Junior)
You can see Etienne in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State on Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. EST.
A smaller back, Etienne may not be an every-down player in the NFL and he had ball security issues at times. But he’s on his second straight season with over 1,500 rushing yards. So far, his best year was 2018 when he ran for 1,658 yards (8.1 YPC) and 24 touchdowns and added 12 catches for 78 yards and two more scores. He’s been wildly successful for the No. 3 team in the country.
WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma, 6-2, 189 lb. Junior)
You can see Lamb in the Peach Bowl vs. LSU on Dec. 28, 4 P.M. EST.
He has tremendous hands and is a natural pass catcher who is a human sponge downfield. Known for also being an adept and willing blocker. Great run-after-catch ability makes him tough to catch and even tougher to tackle. Has already turned in 58 catches for 1,208 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Sooners with a 20.8-yard average. That’s almost double any other receiver on the No. 4 team in the country.
WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado, 6-2, 220 lb. Junior)
Not the tallest receiver but he’s a tough player who plays very physically with cornerbacks. He is also a quick, polished receiver that checks the boxes in every category for an NFL prospect. He’s most likely to end up as a possession receiver and won’t take a lot of time to get up to speed. His best season was 2018 when he caught 86 passes for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran 17 times for 115 yards and scored five more times as a rusher. He has “fit anywhere” sort of talent.
What players on Clemson could make life difficult on Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl CFP Semifinal? Here are the Tigers’ five best players.
We’re less than two weeks away from the College Football Semifinal matchup in the Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Clemson. As a Buckeye fan, we know you’ve been up at night thinking about this matchup and what to be aware of. So, we’ll be bringing you things leading up to the game, and first up is a cliff notes version of the best five players on this Tigers’ squad.
It’s not Clemson is the great unknown opponent. You don’t win a couple of national titles over the last three years and go under the radar, but still, with the schedule and lack of coverage of the ACC Champion’s year, you may not be completely up to speed on who has been the biggest playmakers for Dabo Swinney’s club.
The 49ers took an unconventional route in a Draft Wire 2020 NFL mock draft.
The 2020 NFL draft seems eons away for the 49ers. They’re in the thick of the playoff hunt and have established themselves as bona fide Super Bowl contenders. However, the franchise’s history has been defined by its dynasty that ran through the 80s and 90s. Part of sustaining championship contenders is drafting capable players, so it’s never too early to look at how the 49ers might continue competing for championships.
Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire authored a three-round mock draft where the 49ers made a curious pick with their first-round pick. That’s their only selection in the first three rounds after sending their second-round pick to Kansas City for Dee Ford, and including their third-round pick in the deal to acquire Emmanuel Sanders.
In the three-round mock, San Francisco takes Clemson running back Travis Etienne with the No. 30 overall pick. From Easterling:
This just seems unfair. Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman are a fantastic 1-2 punch in this backfield, but their contracts are expiring soon. Etienne’s explosiveness and three-down skill set would be the perfect match with a creative offensive coach like Kyle Shanahan.
This would certainly be a head-scratching decision for the 49ers considering the production Shanahan has gotten out of undrafted running backs. Breida, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. were undrafted. Coleman was a third-round pick.
San Francisco will have some decisions to make at running back. Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL prior to his first season with the club in 2018, then re-aggravated that injury in camp this year and lost his season by going on injured reserve before final cuts. He can be released for a relatively small sum if the team is uncertain about his knee coming off an injury.
Breida is set to be a free agent in the offseason. Wilson and Coleman will be the year of their deals in 2020. Mostert is signed through 2021 after inking a three-year deal this offseason.
The 49ers adding a running back in next year’s draft certainly isn’t out of the question. However, with needs in the secondary, the interior of the offensive line, and potentially on the defensive line depending on how free agency goes, it’s hard to fathom they go with a running back in the first round.
In the world where they do spend that precious draft capital on a running back though, Etienne would make a lot of sense. He’s amassed 3,810 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns on 479 carries across 40 games for the Tigers. That’s good for 8.0 yards per carry. He’s also caught 45 balls for 424 yards and four touchdowns. Most of his receiving production has come in his final season. Etienne in 2019 has 28 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games.
While Etienne is the type of player who could thrive under Shanahan, a running back in the first round would be an extreme luxury pick for a 49ers club that may need tweaks to other areas of the roster. It stands to reason they’d go elsewhere in the first round, then snag a running back later in the draft and pluck another one or two out of the undrafted free agent pool.
