The Tennessee Titans are going to sell at the trade deadline, and superstar running back Derrick Henry could be the next man out of town. After trading Kevin Byard for pennies on the dollar, it’s clear that the Titans are looking towards the future, and it doesn’t make sense for Tennessee to hold on to a 29-year-old running back with over 2,000 career touches to his name.
Derrick Henry still has some juice in his tank, but it’s time for the Titans to see what they have in rookie Tyjae Spears. The running back market might not be what it used to be, but these five teams should still be interested in acquiring one of the hardest runners in the game.
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5 Teams That Should Trade For Derrick Henry
Baltimore Ravens
At 5-2, the Baltimore Ravens are looking like one of the best teams in the AFC. The defense is elite, Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level, and Zay Flowers has provided Jackson with a reliable weapon for the first time since the Marquise Brown days. The biggest weakness on this roster is running back, as Gus Edwards and Justice Hill are both better off as depth players. A Derrick Henry trade will also bring a physical element to the offense, and the thought of Henry and Jackson sharing a backfield should keep defensive coordinators up at night.
Buffalo Bills
James Cook has done well as a three-down back, but that might only be out of necessity. Historically speaking, Buffalo prefers to use a committee approach, and the 190-pound Cook might not be able to handle a full season as a bell cow back. Executing this trade would allow Derrick Henry to take early-down work and Cook to continue to make plays in the passing game. And, just like with Jackson, Josh Allen is in the conversation for the league’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterback, so having two battering rams in the backfield on any given play will make life a living hell for defenses.
Dallas Cowboys
Tony Pollard took the league by storm in the first month of the season, but the former fourth-round pick has slowed down in recent weeks. Prior to this season, the Memphis product always split touches with Ezekiel Elliott, and there is a chance that this heavy workload is too much for Pollard’s body to handle. Nobody loves running backs more than the Cowboys, and a Derrick Henry trade would give Dallas the most ferocious 1-2 punch in football.
Kansas City Chiefs
Former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco came out of nowhere to help power the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs to a championship. Pacheco has proven that last year wasn’t a fluke, as he’s clearly an NFL-caliber player, but he’s still just a league-average starter. Derrick Henry is a lot more than that, and the Chiefs should consider a trade to bolster one of the few weak parts of their offense. Opposing defenses will always focus on stopping the pass as long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback, which means that Henry should be able to plow through lighter boxes any time he gets the ball.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with Dalvin Cook in the offseason, in large part because they believed they already had a starting-caliber running back in Alexander Mattison. Well, after half a season, Mattison has yet to justify that confidence. The running back isn’t an active liability by any means, but it’s clear that he’s better in a supporting role. At 3-4, the Vikings still have a good shot at a Wild Card spot, and a Derrick Henry trade could go a long way in solidifying their backfield.
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