Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The most likely trade partner for Titans RB Derrick Henry
NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Titans (2-4) are open for business ahead of the NFL's trade deadline. Clubs have until 3 PM CT on October 31 to move players, and running back Derrick Henry could be the next name to go.
Tennessee shipped off former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to the Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) for 2024 fifth and sixth round picks and depth safety Terrell Edmunds.
The 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year is past the peak of his powers, but is still capable of contributing to a contending team. You cannot trade away the second leading rusher in franchise history for pennies on the dollar.
The Baltimore Ravens (5-2) are the team most interested in acquiring Henry as of Wednesday, but any potential deal could fall through if the compensation is not right.
Baltimore is hardly flush with cap space, however, with $6.29 million available.
If the Titans are serious about moving Henry, they will likely have to “buy” a better pick.
What a Derrick Henry trade could look like for the Titans
Henry is in the final season of his four-year, $50 million contract with Tennessee, including an average annual salary of $12.5 million. A team trading for the former Heisman Trophy-winner would have to take on between $6.5-7 million in remaining money on his deal. That’s an incredibly steep price tag halfway through the season for an almost 30-year old running back on an expiring contract.
To get compensation worth moving one of the franchise’s greatest players, the Titans would be wise to take a page from the Miami Dolphins playbook back in 2019. Miami traded then longtime starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to Tennessee in March of 2019. The Titans needed to hedge their bets against an impending Marcus Mariota failure and did so by sending a 2020 fourth-round pick along with a 2019 seventh-round pick in exchange for Tannehill and a 2019 sixth-round pick.
Tennessee immediately restructured Tannehill's contract into a deal that paid him $7 million fully guaranteed with a chance to make up to $12 million in incentives for the 2019 season. The Dolphins paid $5 million of the guaranteed money remaining as a signing bonus to punch a deal through. In order to extract worthwhile compensation from a Henry trade, the Titans would likely need to make a similar deal.
The Ravens currently own seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft (Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7 from NYJ).
“I’m here,” Henry said on Tuesday when asked about if he’d like to go elsewhere to have a chance to win a Super Bowl. “I’m here at work. Ready to go practice and focus on beating the Falcons.”
The Timing of the Titans trading away Derrick Henry
Timing is also a factor, given that Tennessee will host the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) in their first home game in 28 days. Playing Henry, or any other potential trade candidates, would run the risk of injury and likely nuke any potential deal(s).
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
