Titans news: Derrick Henry 'to be the lead back' for Tennessee

The Tennessee Titans have an interesting dilemma in their backfield with two solid options at running back. However, it appears Derrick Henry will be the lead back moving forward.

Through his first two seasons in the NFL, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has shown flashes of promise that he can be a cornerstone piece in the backfield.

Following the departure of former Pro Bowler DeMarco Murray, it has opened up the door for him to take up that lead role in the backfield. According to Jim Wyatt of Titansonline.com, Henry is set to grab that spot even with the offseason addition of Dion Lewis.

Henry. A Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama, Henry operated in Murray’s shadow as a rookie. He got more opportunities in 2017, and made the most of them. Henry ran for 744 yards and five touchdowns last season, and he had a memorable, 156-yard game in Kansas City in the team’s playoff win. Everyone wants to know: What will the division of carries look like between Henry and Lewis? 50-50? 65-35? 70-30? Well, a lot of that depends on how Henry performs when he’s on the field. But the plan is for him to be the lead back. He’s proven to be a strong and durable runner, but he’s also focused on getting better as a pass catcher and in pass protection.

Henry has certainly shown enough this past season to get a shot at the starting spot as he put up a career-best campaign as he posted a career-high 744 rushing yards with five touchdowns. His level of production took off to another level after Murray went down with a leg injury. The 23-year-old put that on display in the comeback win in the Wild Card round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs rushing for a career-high 156 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown while also hauling in two catches for 35 yards.

Lewis will have a slated role in the offense behind Henry given what he brings to the table as an impact player in both the passing and running game. However, there is a clear-cut first opportunity for him to show that he can excel in the primary running back spot next season.

Ultimately, the opportunity is in front of Henry to put together a breakthrough year to demonstrate he can be the workhorse running back that the Titans can depend on.