Titans star running back Derrick Henry cleared to practice
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have made the easy move opening the 21-day window for Derrick Henry to practice Wednesday.
The next decision, particularly the timing, will be more challenging.
Taking the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year off injured reserve by Sunday means he could help beat Houston, clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Waiting means the Titans try to earn the first-round bye without Henry, giving him more time to shake off the rust from missing the past nine weeks with a broken right foot.
“See how he responds and ask him to start doing some of those things that he’s going to need to do in the football game,” coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday. “No different than what we have done with any other guy that’s come back from the injured reserve and as they start their return to play.”
The Titans have to balance Henry’s health against the benefits of playing in a game compared to the quality of work available in practices at the end of the NFL regular season.
“We will try to do everything we can for the players that are coming back to try to recreate, to give them the confidence and the trust that they can go out there and do their job,” Vrabel said. “We try and do that with every player that is returning.”
Henry, who turned 28 on Tuesday, broke his right foot Oct. 31 and had surgery Nov. 2 to repair his fifth metatarsal. Henry led the league with 937 yards rushing when he was put on injured reserve, and the NFL’s 2019 and 2020 rushing leader still ranks sixth in the league despite missing eight games.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry has been out nine weeks counting the Titans’ bye Dec. 5. Henry is averaging a league-high 117.1 yards a game. He is averaging 4.3 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns rushing.
The Titans (11-5) clinched their second straight AFC South championship last week with a 34-3 rout of Miami.
A win Sunday over Houston (4-12) would give Tennessee the franchise’s third No. 1 seed in the AFC since leaving Texas and first since 2008. Even better would be practice for Henry.