Derrick Henry’s future in the NFL is clearly questionable, but not yet decided.
One day after ESPN announced that the Tennessee Titans would not use the franchise tag on former Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Titans head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon spoke with reporters regarding Henry’s future.
Callahan, who was hired by the Titans in January, says he reached out to the former Heisman Trophy winner this summer and is optimistic about negotiations.
“I’ve reached out,” Callahan stated on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I think that there’s a great relationship with him and the organization that I know he’s always going to have the Titans in his heart so whatever that looks like moving forward, we’ll keep working through it but I know what he means to the city and I’m looking forward to getting to know him.”
Carthon, who is in his second year as general manager of the Titans, is fully aware of Henry’s importance to the organization and the community of Tennessee, but he is not allowing the issue distract him.
“I hear that question around town a lot, people will come and the first thing they will say is ‘hey we’re not going to lose Derrick are we?’ In my 12 months on my job I’ve gotten more Derrick Henry questions than anything so I understand that piece of it too but I have a responsibility to build this team long term and we’ll cross that bridge with Derrick and his team when we get there.”
The Titans initially placed on the franchise tag on Henry in the 2020 offseason before agreeing to a four-year extension worth $50 million. The Titans utilizing the franchise tag on Henry this offseason would’ve put the running back on a one-year deal worth $11.951 million.
The Titans’ decision not to use the tag on Henry this offseason may indicate their future plans with the former Crimson Tide standout, but neither party appears to be set on any option in negotiations.
