Derrick Henry is probably going staying in Tennessee.
Common supervisor Ran Carthon shut down rumors that the crew was procuring Henry in commerce talks.
He described the report that Henry was out there by way of a commerce as “faulty.” However with the crew releasing longtime beginning offensive linemen Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones, linebackers Zach Cunningham and Bud Dupree and vast receiver Robert Woods, it actually appeared the crew was committing to a rebuild. Naturally, this fueled hypothesis about different excessive profile gamers on the roster. Henry’s standing as a 2024 free agent added gasoline to the fireplace.
Carthon put a pause on such hypothesis when he introduced he had no intention of buying and selling beginning QB Ryan Tannehill. The declaration that the crew likes the place it’s with Henry means Tennessee is not totally dedicated to shifting on from a core that was ok to safe the No. 1 seed within the AFC in 2021.
Tennessee jumped out to a 7-3 file by means of 10 video games final season however completed the yr on a seven-game shedding streak and missed the postseason for the primary time since 2018. It was the crew’s first shedding season since 2015.
After spending the previous couple of seasons as the highest canine within the AFC South, a altering of the guard is going on. The Jaguars received the division final yr and are led by former No. 1 total decide Trevor Lawrence. Per Oddschecker, Jacksonville (-145) is the favourite to win the division in 2023.
The Colts and Texans, in the meantime, have top-four picks on this yr’s draft and are each anticipated to pick out a QB. If each picks pan out, the Titans may very well be watching a tough stretch when Tannehill and Henry depart.
As nice as Henry is — he is within the dialogue for the league’s greatest working again — he is reaching the scary age when working backs begin exhibiting indicators of decline. His bruising working type would additionally recommend a brief shelf life however he gave no indication he is near slowing down final season.
He turned 29 in January and is coming off one among his greatest seasons. He had 349 carries, 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022, a yr after he fractured his foot and missed 9 video games.
Henry represents the Titans greatest likelihood at returning to the postseason and Carthon gave a transparent indication he’ll get that chance, probably for the final time.
