Derrick Henry being linked to 1 team ahead of NFL trade deadline

Derrick Henry, of the Tennessee Titans, runs against the New York Jets, Sunday, October 3, 2021. Photo Credit: Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Derrick Henry has been mentioned as a star player who could be moved ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline, and at least one AFC contender may have interest.

The Tennessee Titans fell to 2-4 with their loss to the Baltimore Ravens in London two weeks ago. Those Ravens may have had a closer eye on Henry than usual, as Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com says there is a “building belief” around the NFL that Henry will wind up in Baltimore.

The Ravens lost JK Dobbins to a torn Achilles in Week 1. That has once again forced them to use a committee featuring Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Neither player has real game-changing ability, and having that in the backfield to go along with an improved passing game would make the Ravens — arguably the best team in the AFC — even better.

Henry, 29, is owed $6.4 million for the remainder of the season. While that is a hefty salary, it is unlikely to be the biggest deterrent for the Ravens or any other team. The real question is how much the Titans would want in return for Henry, though they did recently unload another former All-Pro at a reasonable price.

Henry has 425 rushing yards through six games and is averaging 4.3 yards per carry. His explosiveness may not be what it once was, but he is also stuck in an offense that ranks near the bottom of the NFL in most major categories. A contender like the Ravens could still get a significant boost from Henry, which is why they will likely explore adding him.