Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
If the Tennessee Titans don’t franchise tag running back Derrick Henry for some reason, he could find a perfect waiting for him in the Buffalo Bills.
If Derrick Henry isn’t re-signed by the Tennessee Titans, he will land on a team like the Buffalo Bills.
Henry is an absolute beast at running back. He has emerged as the best back in football over the final half of last season, rushing for 1,342 yards over his final nine starts, including the AFC playoffs. Over that span, Henry averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Because Henry wasn’t a first-round pick by the Titans in 2016 — and therefore didn’t have a fifth-year option — he’s hitting unrestricted free agency at his absolute prime. Though he might be franchise-tagged by the Titans, he could make the Bills a serious Super Bowl contender if he were to land in Orchard Park.
Buffalo has a phenomenal defense, a strong coaching staff and a promising dual-threat quarterback in Josh Allen. Though the passing game is inconsistent with Allen, the Bills could be scary in the ground game if Henry would to come aboard.
Henry would be the next elite running back to play for the Bills, joining the likes of O.J. Simpson and Thurman Thomas before him. In a way, it would be like Buffalo never parted ways with Marshawn Lynch and the Bills got all of his best years instead of the Seattle Seahawks.
Of course, the Bills would have to pay a premium to land Henry. Fortunately, they have the available cap space and the offensive role to insert him into perfectly. Frank Gore is a rock that doesn’t age, but Henry would be an upgrade over him and would pair nicely with second-year pro Devin Singletary.
Buffalo is primed to compete for the AFC East for the first time in 25 years without Henry. Adding him into the equation would have the Bills as a potential prohibitive favorite, depending on what the New England Patriots do at quarterback.