The Tennessee Titans are reportedly open to the idea of giving running back Derrick Henry a contract extension.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Titans are considering an extension for their star running back that could lower Henry’s cap hits the next two years.
Fowler also notes Tennessee could add built-in “escape hatches” to get out of the contract just in case Henry does decline.
He has two years left on his current contract, and running backs typically don’t get paid early, but I’m hearing the Titans are at least open to a possible new deal with Henry.
Henry has salaries of $12 million ($15 million cap hit) and $12.5 million ($15.5 million) over the next two years. The Titans could lessen those two cap hits by extending him by a year or two, and they could build in escape hatches if Henry declines in his 30s. But right now, Henry is still considered the game’s top back.
The King is set to account for cap hits of $15 and $15.5 million over the next two years, and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
After the first major injury of his career, and with his being 28 years old, there are some concerns about a possible decline for Henry, which has led some to speculate he could be a cut candidate in 2023.
However, this would seem to indicate that the Titans don’t exactly feel the same, but they may opt to wait another year just to see how Henry comes back from his injury.