TITAN-IC RISE COMING FOR HENRY
THERE are times when the present morphs into the future slowly. You didn’t have a vast collection of CDs one day then own nothing but digital tracks the next. The conversion happened over months or years, until eventually you stopped even glancing at the CD rack when t ra cki ng down your favorite song.
Cardinals running back David Johnson didn’t burst onto the scene as soon as he arrived in Arizona. Over the course of the 2015 season, his role in the offense grew methodically. It wasn’t until the end of the season that he picked up the primary running back duties.
Other times, change happens instantly. There is a clear line of demarcation. When Rams quarterback Trent Green went down in 1999, unknown Kurt Warner stepped in and was an instant success. There was no transition period. Boom! It just happened.
Which path Derrick Henry takes on his path to the Titans’ featured RB role will be determined by the severity of DeMarco Murray’s hamstring problem. But know this for certain: Henry’s ascension is an inevitability.
This isn’t just an issue rooted in draft capital — the Titans used a 2016 secondround pick to obtain him. It is partly, but not completely, about age, because youth normally wins at the RB spot. This is mostly about production and health. And right now Henry has both and Murray has neither.
With Murray hampered by a hamstring problem, Henry dominated the workload in the second half of Sunday’s 37-16 thrashing of the Jaguars. He racked up 92 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown — against the same Jaguars defense that looked so impressive in Week 1 at Houston. Murray finished with nine carries for 25 yards.
For the season, Murray has 21 carries for 69 yards, as well as three receptions for 19 yards. Henry has 20 carries for 117 yards and a TD. So not only is Murray dealing with a sore hammy, he is getting crushed by Henry in terms of effectiveness — with Murray averaging 3.3 yards per carry and Henry 5.9.
It makes the decision for the Titans much easier. Though coach Mike Mularkey said Monday that he still views Murray as the starter, they have all the factors in place to employ a predictable path to a Henry takeover.
Step 1: Keep Murray, listed as day-to-day, sidelined while he deals with the hamstring, even if he normally would be healthy enough to play. Use the whole “not until he is 100 percent” routine. Step 2: Henry takes over the feature role in Murray’s absence and performs well. Step 3: When Murray returns, his job has been filled by a younger, more productive rusher.
This, or something similar, is just one scenario, so don’t dive headfirst into pursuit of Henry without also realizing the possibility of an eventual even split. But whatever the future holds, Henry will have a larger role in it.
Right now, we’re trying harder to get rid of Murray than we are trying to acquire Henry. Don’t overpay and don’t oversell, but do realize, the future is approaching.