Vrabel says Titans have time to decide on activating Henry
Jan 6, 2022, 10:59 PM | Updated: Jan 7, 2022, 1:00 pm
FILE - Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry walks on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. The Titans have moved a step closer to having the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year back, opening the 21-day window Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, for Derrick Henry to start practicing. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
(AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel says the team has some time to make the decision on moving Derrick Henry from injured reserve back to the active roster.
Vrabel likes what he’s seen of the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in the three days Henry has practiced.
“I think that he looked good,” Vrabel said Friday. “We continue to track his speed and his mileage and volume and see how he responds. Two days on the turf, we will see where he is at (Saturday) and see how he responds. I feel good about where he is at.”
Henry, who turned 28 on Tuesday, broke his right foot Oct. 31 and had surgery Nov. 2 to repair his fifth metatarsal. Henry led the league with 937 yards rushing when he was put on injured reserve. The NFL’s 2019 and 2020 rushing leader still ranks sixth in the league despite missing eight games.
The Titans (11-5) travel Saturday to Houston for their regular season finale against the Texans (4-12). They need a victory to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC along with a first-round bye that this franchise hasn’t earned since 2008.
A winter storm that dropped 6 inches of snow Thursday in Nashville sent the Titans indoors for practice the past two days. Vrabel said practicing indoors wouldn’t affect the decision of activating Henry.
“You are still able to do stuff that he would normally do in practice if we were outside,” Vrabel said.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry has been out nine weeks counting the Titans’ bye Dec. 5. Henry is averaging a league-high 117.1 yards a game. He is averaging 4.3 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns rushing.
Henry has 461 yards rushing with five TDs combined in his past two games in Houston.
Notes: The Titans declared a pair of defensive linemen out for the game in Houston. Teair Tart (ankle) was added to the injury report Thursday, while Naquan Jones (knee) has not practiced all week.
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