The Titans have finally managed to convince this powerful free agent to pen a new deal, though the super man has expressed a strong desire to leave the Titans and sign a New Deal with…
Even though the Tennessee Titans’ offensive line had numerous problems in 2023, the team’s running backs were still able to have successful seasons.
With 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns, Derrick Henry concluded his NFL career in second place and tied for seventh place, respectively. His fellow rookie in the backfield, Tyjae Spears, finished fourth among first-year backs with 838 yards from scrimmage and 435 yards from the rush.
The Titans are unlikely to keep Henry and Spears together, despite the fact that they proved to be a formidable combination. One can only imagine how much more potent they could have been with a stronger offensive line.
In our 2024 offseason preview for the running back position, we’ll go over this and much more.
Who has a contract?
Hassan Haskins and Tyjae Spears are under contract.
Spears’ rookie season with the Titans was incredible, and in 2023, he should be in line for a bigger role. Spears will start, barring a return of Henry by the Titans, but don’t count on him to be a bell cow like his predecessor (more on that later).
Prior to the start of the season, Haskins was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He also had legal issues, which were eventually resolved when the charges against him were dropped.
Prior to his injury, the former fourth-round pick, who still has two years left on his rookie contract, wasn’t doing much in training camp. If kept, he seems to be little more than a camp corpse.
A pending free agent is who?
Derrick Henry, Jonathan Ward, and Julius Chestnut (ERFA) are pending free agents.
Although both Henry and the Titans have stated that they are open to continuing their relationship, Henry is the most well-known player on the team’s list of pending free agents for 2024. However, it is unlikely that this will occur.
First of all, Henry has given the impression that he does not plan to return and that winning a Super Bowl is his top priority—a claim the Titans are unlikely to honor in 2024.
In addition, I find it hard to believe that a rebuilding team like the Titans, who are under a new head coach and are going to adopt a more pass-heavy scheme, would want to shell out the kind of cash required to hold onto the 30-year-old running back. That would have been more likely if Tennessee had retained Vrabel.
When all is said and done, a divorce is in everyone’s best interests, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Henry playing somewhere else in 2024.
Chestnut was one of the more surprising additions to the Titans’ initial 53-man roster, but he was tragically injured in Week 3 that ended his season. The Titans will have some control because the UDFA is a free agent with exclusive rights.
Before getting hurt, Ward was expected to make the squad out of training camp. When he recovered, he was eventually added back and primarily served on special teams.
Though it won’t really matter, the Titans should go ahead and bring them back as camp bodies to compete for a role.
greatest requirements
The greatest need is a backlash against Spears.
In light of the NFL’s recent trend toward using more two-headed backfields, Spears won’t be Tennessee’s mainstay the way Henry was. Still, he will be regarded as the starter.
Although the Titans won’t find another Henry, they do need a player who can run between the tackles and be an expert on short yardage and goal lines.
In keeping with the idea that the Titans won’t want to spend a lot of money on the position, expect Tennessee to compete for a role by adding a back in the 2024 NFL draft and some inexpensive free agency options.
