Henry cleared for 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 star running back off injured reserve by Sunday means he could help beat the Texans, clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Waiting means the Titans try to earn the firstround 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,” Titans 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 underwent 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 6-3, 247-pound Henry has been out nine weeks counting the Titans’ open date on 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.
Tennessee (11-5) clinched its second straight AFC South championship last week with a 34-3 rout of Miami. A win Sunday over the Texans (4-12) would give the Titans the franchise’s third No. 1 seed in the AFC since leaving Houston and first since 2008. Even better would be practice for Henry.
But Henry has 461 yards rushing with five TDs combined in his past two games at NRG Stadium.
One factor could be the Texans play on an artificial surface, similar to Indianapolis, where Henry played his most recent game. Using more of the 21-day window would allow Henry to return on natural grass in Nashville in the wild-card round at worst and divisional round with the bye as the No. 1 seed at best.
“There’s a lot of factors that go into decisions that we make,” Vrabel said.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill said the Titans want to have Henry rejoin the lineup as soon as possible.
“We would like to get him back as soon as we can,” Tannehill said. “We will see when that is going to be. He has to work through some things and get ready to go, but (we’re) excited for the steps he has taken and the work he has put in to get to this point. Hopefully, it is sooner rather than later.”
Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard said obviously having Henry back would be great for everybody — especially the offense.
“I know he’s excited, so we’re all excited,” Byard said.
Tennessee has used a committee approach to replace Henry, who became the eighth player to run for at least 2,000 yards last season with 2,027 yards. The Titans rank third in the NFL in averaging 142.5 yards a game.
Adrian Peterson was waived after three games. D’Onta Foreman, a former Texan and UT star who played six games with Tennessee last season, has 497 yards with three 100-yard games since being signed off the street Nov. 2. Dontrell Hilliard is averaging 6.2 yards per carry with 293 yards rushing and also has 18 catches for 86 yards.