Top potential destinations for Titans RB
Although general manager Ran Carthon emphasized that the door is always open for Derrick Henry to return, the 30-year-old running back is unlikely to re-sign with the Tennessee Titans now that the franchise has decided to part ways with head coach Mike Vrabel.
Despite turning 30 just a few days ago, Henry appears to have dispelled any concerns about him falling off the “RB cliff” that most RBs do in their age-29 or 30 seasons, finishing as the NFL’s second-leading rusher (1,167 yards) behind San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey and with the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (12).
Following back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Henry definitely believes he has plenty of gas left in the tank, and he should be one of the more sought-after free-agent runners. Here are the best places for Henry to arrive in 2024:
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have finished first in the NFL in rushing three of the last five seasons, and the last time they were outside of the top three was in 2017. Clearly, Henry would still see a lot of action in Baltimore. Despite Lamar Jackson, the Ravens haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2019, and adding a runner of Henry’s level would likely minimize Jackson’s leg wear and tear. (He hasn’t had fewer than 750 yards rushing since his debut season in 2018.)
J.K. Dobbins is unable to keep healthy, and Baltimore will most likely release him in the offseason. Keaton Mitchell showed potential as a rookie before tearing his ACL, and while Gus Edwards (810 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Justice Hill (397 yards, three scores) were effective in splitting the totes, neither frightened opposing defenses. With Henry as its bruiser, Mitchell as its speedster, and Edwards/Hill as its goal-line duo, Baltimore would be even more deadly in 2024.
Buffalo Bills
At 30, Henry is likely to prioritize winning a Super Bowl ring over chasing another large payout, and Buffalo would be an excellent site to accomplish that aim. James Cook, a second-year running back, was fourth in the league in rushing (1,122 yards), but he only scored two touchdowns. He also made nearly as much of an impact as a receiver (44 receptions, 445 yards, four touchdowns) as he did as a rusher.
Adding Henry to the mix provides the Bills a legitimate goal-line threat and reduces the amount of times Josh Allen has to pound the ball into the end zone alone. (This year, he led the club with 15 rushing touchdowns.) Henry’s presence would help keep Cook fresher for longer and provide Buffalo with two excellent alternatives to hand off to in the playoffs – something Allen hasn’t had in his four postseason outings with the Bills. In the postseason, Allen averages 39 pass attempts per game.
Dallas Cowboys
Despite the Cowboys’ explosive offense this season, Tony Pollard only carried for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns, while the team received an additional 673 yards and six scores from players other than Pollard and Dak Prescott. This year, Dallas missed Ezekiel Elliot’s presence in the backfield.
Adding Henry to combine with Pollard would give the Cowboys one of the best 1-2 RB punches in the NFC, reduce Pollard’s workload (his 252 carries were fifth most in the league), and make the team less reliant on receiving yards. (CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and KaVontae Turpin each had 30 carries for 258 yards and two touchdowns.)
Kansas City Chiefs
Although Isiah Pacheco is a strong runner, he has yet to establish himself as a bell-cow back. Adding a player like Henry to split carries with would expand Andy Reid’s toolbox and let him to take advantage of more favorable matchups with Pacheco in the pass game.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La’Mical Perine, and Jerick McKinnon contributed nothing for Kansas City, which ranks 19th in rushing. Henry could easily handle 10-15 carries a game, making Patrick Mahomes’ life simpler by not having to throw close to 40 times per game.
Philadelphia Eagles
D’Andre Swift’s 1,049-yard season was a pleasant surprise for Philadelphia, but Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott didn’t make much of an impact with their touches (104 carries, 450 yards, two touchdowns). Henry (6-foot-4, 247 pounds) is the type of big-bodied runner the squad has been lacking to offset Swift’s flashiness.
The Eagles appear to be in their Super Bowl window, and they could be a wonderful match for Henry in terms of giving him an opportunity to chase a ring but not putting the whole offense on his shoulders.
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