Derrick Henry Rumors: Titans 'Haven't Really Gotten off the Ground" on Contract

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry proved his worth during the 2019 NFL season, but according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, his contract negotiations "haven't really gotten off the ground" with the Titans.

Henry led the league with 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns on 303 carries across 15 regular-season starts.

Meanwhile, the team announced quarterback Ryan Tannehill's multiyear extension on Sunday afternoon. ESPN's Jeff Darlington disclosed the deal's terms:

Rapoport reported on March 12 that the Titans' release of running back Dion Lewis was in preparation "to bring back Derrick Henry at a big number."

Spotrac lists Henry's calculated market value at $13.8 million in average annual salary. The 25-year-old finished out his rookie contract in 2019. 

Henry told reporters following the Tennessee's season-ending 35-24 loss to the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 19 that he was "sure" a new contract would "get worked out" with the Titans.

"Throughout the whole season, you have to stick together through all the adversity," Henry said. "We have a lot of great guys in the locker room. It's football, you know the locker room is going to change. Right now, we just lost a game. I am not even thinking about no contracts or things like that. When that time comes, I am sure it will get worked out."

Head coach Mike Vrabel told Bleacher Report's Stick to Football podcast in late February that it was unrealistic to think Henry, Tannehill and other key scheduled free agents would all re-sign:

"It's a part of the business of football. Obviously everybody with expiring contracts, there has to be decisions that are made by not only the team but also by the player. The player has to want to be back. The team has to make an effort to bring them back. And to think all those guys will be back, that's just not going to happen. There will be players we can hopefully get back and there will be ones that go on and transition on to other teams."

Running backs are increasingly viewed as easily replaceable in today's NFL, but Henry did everything an RB could do to make the Titans want to secure his services long-term.

Tennessee had the third-best running attack in the regular season (138.9 yards per game) before Henry rushed for 446 yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries in three postseason contests.