The Tennessee Titans and running back Derrick Henry have passed the deadline, and the 2019 NFL leader has a new contract, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henry’s new contract is a four-year, $ 50 million contract, the NFL Network reported, and includes $ 25.5 million in guaranteed money, ESPN reported.
The Titans had until 3 p.m. CDT on Wednesday to reach a new contract with Henry, or the former Alabama All-American would play the 2020 season under the Tennessee franchise tag.
The Titans used their franchise tag on March 16 to prevent Henry from entering free agency after four seasons with the team.
Henry signed the franchise tender on April 2, and would have paid him $ 10,278 million for the 2020 season.
If Henry hadn’t gotten a new contract before Wednesday afternoon’s deadline, he couldn’t have signed a multi-year extension with the Titans until after his last regular-season game. That would have brought Henry to free agency again in March, although Tennessee could have handled the situation the same way by using next year’s franchise tag on it. The value of the franchise tag for a runner for the 2021 season should be approximately $ 12.33 million.
After winning the Heisman Trophy and setting a SEC career record for one season for the 2015 Alabama CFP National Championship team, Henry joined the Titans as a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Henry spent his first two seasons as backup for DeMarco Murray. Henry ran for 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns on 286 carries in 31 games, with four starts, in 2016 and 2017.
In 2018 Henry moved into the starting lineup and ran for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns in 215 career attempts while spending time with Dion Lewis. Henry left for 238 rushing yards and four touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 6, 2018, including the second 99-yard rushing career since scrimmage in NFL history. The Pro Football Writers of America included Henry in their 2018 All-AFC team.
In his fourth NFL season, Henry led the league with 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns on 303 career attempts in the regular season, as he earned his first invitation to the Pro Bowl and received All-NFL recognition from the Pro Football Writers of America. He was also the leader in the postseason, with 446 yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries in three playoff games.
The Titans advanced to the AFC Championship Game last season.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ AMarkG1.
