Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry is the most deserving of an extension

Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans agreed to a contract extension right before the Wednesday deadline to keep Henry in Nashville.

There is no one on the Tennessee Titans roster that is more deserving of a long-term contract than Derrick Henry.

He was the 2019 NFL rushing champion, ran for 1,540 yards and finished tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the league with 16. He had the best season of his career with no sign of slowing down.

The biggest issue with Henry is his age. Can he hold up over the duration of a long-term contract? That’s the big question, but I don’t think that will be an issue. Over the next three or four years, we won’t see a big dropoff in Henry’s performance like some people think.

That will especially be the case if Ryan Tannehill can continue to perform like he did in 2019. If we get that same guy under center for the next few years, then that’s less the Titans have to lean on Henry, which means he can save his legs for when the Titans will need him.

Those issues didn’t shy the Titans away from making sure they lock in Henry for another four more years. The four-year, $50 million contract extension keeps the Titans’ offensive core intact for the years to come.

With $25 million guaranteed and averaging $12.5 million per year, the contract extension keeps Henry as a top-five paid running back in the league, and that’s exactly where he belongs.

There’s no doubt that Titans fans and players alike were excited to see Henry and the Titans get the extension done before the July 15 deadline. Now the Titans don’t have to worry about losing Henry after 2020.

I really like the contract for both sides. Although Henry was the best running back in 2019, he’s not getting any younger, so giving him the highest-paid contract for a running back would be irresponsible, and Henry is being paid to be a top-five running back for the next four years, which is a reasonable expectation.

Now Titans fans can sit back, relax, and enjoy the weeks leading up to the NFL season, and hope that we will still have a season.