Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Although Derrick Henry didn’t fare well against the Denver Broncos in 2019, he pretty much torched the rest of the NFL.
If he hits the open market as a free agent, he will be the most coveted on-quarterback on the offensive side of the ball.
That could result in a payday that is simply too high for the Broncos to even consider, but why not? Henry was arguably the most physically dominant running back in the NFL last season to the tune of 1,746 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns.
Imagine adding that kind of production to the Broncos’ offense, which as a whole only scored nine more touchdowns than Derrick Henry in 2019.
There is a possibility that Henry will hit free agency, and for that to happen, the Titans have to lose the Tom Brady sweepstakes or hope the new CBA is not approved by the players. If the Titans aren’t able to sign Tom Brady, they will have to use their franchise tag on Ryan Tannehill.
If the new CBA is approved by the players, the Titans will not be able to use their two tags and will instead only have one.
If the Titans are able to land Brady, the easy decision for them is to tag Derrick Henry. Keep an eye on what the Titans do with their tag as a way to read the tea leaves about where Brady could be going, by the way.
Henry would be one free agent running back worthy of breaking the bank open for. Although it’s not popular to sign running backs to massive contracts, this guy is truly instant offense right now, and he’s capable of absolutely taking over games.
If I’m Denver, I would look into paying him upwards of $15 million per season, especially with the salary cap likely to rise substantially in the coming years. Getting Henry at that price now is going to seem borderline inconsequential in two or three seasons.