The 2024 free agent shuffle: Where is Derrick Henry’s next destination?

Yesterday officially started the 2024 NFL free agency negotiation period and, as expected, there has been a lot of big-name movement from the start. Players cannot officially sign until 4:00 PM on March 13, but many tentative contracts have already begun. With the anticipation leading into this free agency, many questions have been asked pertaining to some of the top guys in the business. Was the Falcons Kirk Cousins worth a long term contract? Are the Eagles a Super Bowl lock with Saquon? Can a rejuvenated Baker Mayfield take the Bucs deep into the post season? These are just a few out of the many questions that will be brought up as free agency unfolds.

As we digest more of what we here around the league, we start to see that there has been a lot of shuffling at the running back position. Some top tier guys are starting a new chapter in their careers.  Austin Eckler, Tony Pollard and previously mentioned Saquon Barkely have all found new homes. De’Andre Swift seen the light and signed with Chicago. Josh Jacobs takes over in Green Bay. Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones are now in the mix to relocate for 2024 along with a few more. But one that stands out above the rest is Derrick Henry.

Henry has been arguably the face of the franchise in Tennessee since he joined the league in 2016. For the first 2 years, he played 2nd fiddle to a prime Demarco Murray. In his first full year as the go-to guy, he rushed for over 1000 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging nearly 5 YPC (yards per carry). Thus began the Henry and (Mike) Vrabel era in Tennessee.

The first 4 years of Mike Vrabel’s tenure were very successful. Four consecutive seasons with a winning record including back to back AFC South Division winners in 2020 and 2021. And he relied heavily on Henry.

In 2019, Henry rushed over 300 times for 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns. He followed that up with a monster season in 2020 having 378 rushes for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. After a broken bone in his foot placed him on the IR after 8 games in 2021, he returned to his old self the next year racking up over 1,500 yards on nearly 350 carries and reaching the endzone 13 times.

The former Heisman Trophy winner has been an absolute force in the league at the running back position. At 6’3″ and 247 lbs. who wouldn’t be? The question is, how much does he have left. Now at 30 years old, can his body take the beating of the NFL for another 5 years? I think he is more than capable of helping out a team for at least the new few. Will it be in a purple uniform in Baltimore or will he have a star on the side of his helmet in Dallas? I’m sure whoever pulls the trigger on him increases their odds greatly on bringing a championship back to their organization.

Thanks for reading and God bless!

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