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Derrick Henry has been a dominant force for the Tennessee Titans since entering the league in 2016. But as the Titans look to cut costs, Henry could be out the door.
The Titans have been shopping Henry in potential trades, via Michael Silver of Bally Sports. If Tennessee were to trade Henry, they would save $6.3 million against the cap. The running back is set to make $10.5 million this season.
While they would save money, the Titans would be losing one of the NFL's best running backs if they dealt Henry. Over his seven-year career, Henry has rushed for 8,335 yards and 78 touchdowns. He led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in both 2019 and 2020. Henry is a three-time Pro Bowl, an All-Pro recipient and the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year.
Tennessee has already released a plethora of veterans in cap space maneuvers. A trade of Henry could be new General Manager Ran Carthon's next trick in building his version of the Titans. If Derrick Henry is traded, these three teams make the most sense as potential landing spots.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears actually led the NFL in rushing yards this past season by averaging 177.3 yards per game on the ground. However, much of Chicago's rushing success came from quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears could look to pair the speedy Fields with a bruiser in Henry.
In 15 games, Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. He led all quarterbacks in rushing yards and finished seventh overall. Fields' 7.1 yards per carry was the best in the NFL. Whatever Chicago's offense looks like next season, Fields will be a focal point.
The Bears do have a running back free agent of their own in David Montgomery. However, Montgomery rushed for just 801 yards and five touchdowns this past season. Henry would give Chicago a much more formidable force.
Chicago's biggest asset is their almost $100 million cap space, which is the league's highest. Using some of that money to take on Henry's contract would be a great way to jump start the Bears' offense.
Buffalo Bills
With Josh Allen under center, the Buffalo Bills have one of the best offenses in the entire NFL. But after a disappointing playoff exit, Buffalo could look to improve that offense. Upgrading at running back with Henry is a good place to start.
Devin Singletary – who is a free agent this offseason – spent most of the year as the Bills' starting RB. Still, he rushed for just 819 yards and five touchdowns. He has yet to break 1,000 yards in four years with the Bills. Buffalo did use a second-round pick in 2022 on James Cook. But Henry would give the Bills a much more surefire option.
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The Bills as a whole finished the 2022 regular season with the second-best offense in the NFL, averaging 397.6 yards per game. Buffalo ranked seventh in rushing offense, averaging 139.5 yards per game. However, if you took away Allen's 47.6 rushing yards per game, the Bills would fall to just 91.9 YPG, 29th in the NFL.
Buffalo is looking to make a roaring comeback after their Divisional Round loss. Adding Henry would give the Bills one of the scariest offenses in the entire league.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are set to see every running back on their roster hit free agency. The Dolphins struggled on the ground regardless last season. Adding Derrick Henry would fix both problems for Miami.
Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Myles Gaskin are all upcoming free agents. Salvon Ahmed is a restricted free agent, meaning the Dolphins can match an offer given to him. Still, it's clear that Miami is in need of long-term option at the running back position.
The Dolphins had one of the best offenses in the league last season, finishing sixth overall by averaging 364.5 yards per game. However, their run game was atrocious. Miami ranked 25th overall, averaging 99.2 yards per game on the ground.
Much has been made this offseason about the Dolphins' plan with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. However, running back is arguably a more pressing need. Not only did the Dolphins struggle mightily in that regard last season, but they can literally lose their entire running back from free agency.
The Dolphins squeaked into the playoffs last season. Adding Derrick Henry would give Miami a much more realistic shot for a deep postseason run.
