The Detroit Lions are facing uncertainty at the running back position as they head into the 2023 season. With Jamaal Williams possibly leaving and D’Andre Swift not fulfilling all the team’s needs, the running back position is currently up in the air.
However, quarterback Jared Goff showed great promise in 2022, proving what a good running game can do for a quarterback who isn’t considered elite. Goff played exceptionally well off the play-action and used a strong running game to score points in the red zone, with Williams leading the league in rushing touchdowns. The entire team played better when they could run the ball effectively, highlighting the importance of running the football in the NFL today.
Derrick Henry, the Tennessee Titans’ running back, has been one of the best ball-carriers in the league in recent years, rushing for over 7,000 yards in the last five seasons. He led the league in 2020 with over 2,000 yards and won Offensive Player of the Year that same season, making him an elite player who shows no signs of slowing down.
The Titans are currently in the beginning stages of rebuilding, which includes parting ways with veteran players such as Henry, who may have potential trade value. The Lions have 22 million dollars in cap space this season, which means they could easily take on the 16 million dollar cap hit that comes along with signing Derrick Henry.
The free-agent running back class is nothing special, and the other alternative to getting Henry would be either keeping Williams, rolling with Swift, or drafting a high-upside back in the draft. While some may prefer the team to draft a star, the age gap between Henry and the Lions is a concern.
Derrick Henry is a win-now player at 29 years old, with 1,750 carries over his career. Multiple other backs have had steep declines in their production with this many carries. Therefore, the question arises: How well would Henry fit into a team of young talent? Would he even be a 3-down back with Swift still in the picture holding the third-down role for the team?
It would be hard to imagine that a player like Henry, with his impact, age, and cost, would be the best fit for a young and emerging team like the Lions, who didn’t even make the playoffs last year. On the other side of the coin, Henry is a game-changing player and can’t be counted out of any play throughout any game. He can take the load off of a struggling quarterback with ease and can make 3rd and manageable an expected possibility.
Henry fits very well with the run-first scheme of Detroit, would be a huge upgrade at the position, and could make this offense even scarier. The question remains: Should the Lions pursue Derrick Henry?
Had the same thoughts when I was on the shitter