The Baltimore Ravens have widely been regarded as the most likely destination for running back Derrick Henry this offseason, with teams like the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys also mentioned as possibilities.
But could any darkhorse teams through their hats into the ring?
Matt Okada of NFL media thinks so, naming the Houston Texans as a potential landing spot for Henry.
The Texans will have tons of cap room to play with this offseason, and given the fact that their rushing offense ranked just 23rd in the league this past year, a match with Henry would make sense.
Henry is coming off of a 2023 campaign with the Tennessee Titans in which he rushed for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry en route to his fourth Pro Bowl appearance.
The 30-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Titans in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Henry was a bit of a late bloomer, as he did not eclipse the 1,000-yard mark until his third season. He then led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020, topping out at 2,027 yards and 17 scores in the latter campaign.
The Yulee, Fl. native then saw his 2021 season cut in half due to injuries, but in 2022, he racked up 1,538 yards while reaching the end zone 13 times as a rusher.
It’s pretty clear that Henry is declining and is no longer the same elite halfback he was several years ago, but he is still productive and durable, and a pass-heavy offense like Houston’s would keep Henry fresh throughout the season and would allow him to be more efficient.
The Texans won 10 games and captured the AFC South division title in 2023 and went on to rout the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. They ended up losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round, but overall, the season was a major success.
Houston would look even better in 2024 with Derrick Henry in its backfield.
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