Derrick Henry was arguably one of the most important players in the NFL this past year. Henry won the rushing title and put the team on his back all the way to an AFC Title game appearance. There wasn’t a more valuable running back in the league than Henry in 2019-2020. Now it’s decision time for Tennessee. The Titans workhorse back hits free agency this offseason. What the hell should Tennessee do?
Paying running backs should become a cautionary tale for teams. At least, be careful paying the wrong one. David Johnson went from one of the best running backs in the league to burnt toast. He averaged 3.7 yards per carry this year. Le’Veon Bell is somehow worse than that. Bell is probably the worst player at his position and coming off a year with a 3.2 YPC average. Todd Gurley’s knees are totally shot. The Cardinals, Jets, and Rams would love to have that undo buton right now on those extensions.
In most instances, teams should operate with 3 possibilities. Try to work out a cheap extension after year 3, hit them with the franchise tag for as long as possible, or let them walk in free agency. That’s who every team should treat their star running back.
Derrick Henry isn’t most instances. You don’t just find another defensive end who’s playing running back and looks like he can run a 4.4. Those guys don’t exist. Henry is the only one in the league. Nothing else even resembles him. You can find another David Johnson in the 3rd round. You don’t find another guy that looks like Henry. They don’t exist.
Also, keep in mind that Henry doesn’t have a ton of tread on the tires. He has 804 career carries in 4 years. Compare that to Zeke Elliott who sits at 1,169 over that same stretch with more receptions as well. The Steelers ran Le’Veon Bell into the ground. Tennessee didn’t really ride Henry until late in the 2018 season. He has plenty of carries left in the tank.
The Titans don’t just have one guy to pay, they have two. Ryan Tannehill is also a free agent. You don’t want to break the bank for either but you also only have one franchise tag to use. So what the hell do you do? The Titans are probably screwed. If Tannehill walks, they don’t have a high enough pick to find a good replacement. If Henry walks, the backup is Derrick Henry and the next guy won’t be as talented. Good luck.
