The Tennessee Titans took a serious hit on Monday, as they are now facing the possibility of having to finish out the 2021 season without running back Derrick Henry. Henry suffered what could be a potentially season-ending foot injury on Sunday, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora confirmed with league sources.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Henry's 219 rushes are the most recorded by a player in his team's first eight games of a season in NFL history. To replace this production, the Titans are signing former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson. Tennessee doesn't want to completely abandon the run, but the offense is going to look different with Peterson, Jeremy McNichols and Mekhi Sargent toting the rock. McNichols, drafted in the fifth round out of Boise State in 2017, has rushed for 246 yards on 56 carries in his multi-team NFL career (7 carries, 38 yards this season). Sargent, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa, has 2 carries for 4 yards in his NFL career.
It's possible the Titans aren't done adding at the running back spot. Peterson is a splashy signing, but here are two other players to keep in mind.
D'Onta Foreman
Foreman actually worked out for the Titans last week, according to Aaron Wilson. Foreman is very familiar with the Titans, as he played six games for them last season and rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries. He's 6-foot-1 and 230-plus pounds, and is similar to Henry in that he can dish out punishment in the run game instead of taking it. It's possible the Titans could tab Foreman as their new starter while also relying on McNichols in the receiving game.
Todd Gurley
Gurley is of course the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year who has seen his career derailed a bit due to knee injuries. Still, he's just 27 years old and more than serviceable. Gurley last played for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, as he rushed 195 times for 678 yards and nine touchdowns. While he's two inches shorter and about 20 pounds lighter, Gurley led the NFL in rushing touchdowns two years in a row and can pound the A-gap. He's a bigger back who also has that playmaking ability. He may not be the same player he was a few years ago, but he still has the potential to be a legitimate starter.