Latest NFL Rumor Involves RB Derrick Henry

RB Derrick Henry
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) walks off the field after Saturday night's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving the Jaguars the AFC South title and a wildcard playoff game. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Tennessee Titans to decide the AFC South championship at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL, Saturday, January 7, 2023. The Jaguars went into the half trailing 7 to 13 but came back to win with a final score of 20 to 16. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] Jki 010723 Bs Jaguars Vs T 1

Folks, we are in the peak of speculation season, and the latest NFL rumor swirling in the league is quite a doozy. Late Friday night, former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila sent out a tweet suggesting that the Philadelphia Eagles could be on the verge of making a huge move to acquire Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry.

Latest NFL Rumor Involves RB Derrick Henry
Aug 22, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee; Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) warms up during a training camp practice at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: George Walker IV-USA TODAY Sports

The tweet read, “BREAKING: Move out the way, Derrick Henry is headed to the Eagles.” In the hours since, no news has come out suggesting the move is imminent, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Tennessee has been trending towards tearing things down for awhile now, and this move would be the nail in the coffin that truly sets the Titans into a rebuild. Additionally, the Eagles lost Miles Sanders in free agency, so they do have a need at the running back spot.

Of course, with the draft just a few days away, there is also a chance that the Eagles simply use a pick to fill their need at the position. They’ve even been connected to potentially drafting Bijan Robinson with the 10th overall selection.

First, Adrian Peterson. Then, Dalvin Cook. Now, Bijan Robinson?
Texas running back Bijan Robinson (5) celebrates a touchdown during the annual Red River Showdown against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas on Oct. 8, 2022. Aem Tx Vs Ou 21

In all, it seems much more likely that the Eagles would draft a running back rather than trade to acquire Henry. The two-time rushing champion is in the final year of his contract, and he will turn 30 years old next January.

Not only would Philadelphia be acquiring an expensive running back, a position that has a solid argument against handing premium contracts, but they’d be acquiring on the back end of his prime. For a team that just handed the most lucrative contract in NFL history to their mobile QB, that simply doesn’t make a ton of sense for them.

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Aug 12, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts . Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

That being said, it would be unsurprising if Henry was made available via trade. Tennessee can probably get decent draft capital in return for him, and whichever team gets him can balance their offensive attack with the final years of a great running back.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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