Getty Derrick Henry looks to lead Tennessee to new heights in 2022.
The Buffalo Bills have tried for the last four years to add a running back who could bring a strong complement to Josh Allen and the passing game, but apparently won’t be going after one of the league’s leading rushers as he hits the trade market this spring.
Some analysts believed the Bills might make a run at Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, who was pegged as a likely cap casualty for the Titans as they move into a rebuild. But now that Henry is reportedly headed to the trade block, one insider says the Bills are not in the running.
Bills Expected to Stay Out of Derrick Henry Sweepstakes
Michael Silver of Bally Sports reported on March 6 that the Titans were actively shopping Henry at the recent combine, one of several high-profile players who could be available.
“According to my sources — all of them current general managers — Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins are among the players who’ve been shopped in recent days,” Silver reported.
Henry has been one of the league’s top running backs and could have a strong market. He rushed for 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, adding a career-high 33 receptions for 398 yards.
But after a Bills fan shared a tweet imagining Henry playing in Buffalo’s offense alongside Allen and Stefon Diggs, Silver added that they’re not likely to make an offer.
“I do not expect the Bills to make a run at Henry,” he tweeted in reply.
Prior to Silver’s report confirming that the Titans are shopping Henry, ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington speculated that the Bills could consider trading for the former rushing leader — and that the Titans would be willing to shed his contract in return.
Buffalo Expected to Boost Inconsistent Running Game
The Bills have made investments into the running game in recent years, using third-round draft picks on Devin Singletary in 2019 and Zack Moss in 2020 and a second-round pick on James Cook in 2022. Still, the Bills have struggled to find a consistent running game and head into next season with no clear No. 1 back. Moss was traded to the Indianapolis Colts ahead of last season’s trade deadline and Singletary is headed for free agency, with many expecting the Bills to move on from last season’s leading rusher.
While they may not be in the market for Henry, the Bills could make other moves to bolster the run game and bring a complement to Cook. In a recent mock draft, Todd McShay predicted that the Bills would select Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 27 overall pick.
McShay noted that Gibbs was a versatile threat for the Crimson Tide last season, rushing 151 times for 926 yards and adding 44 catches for 444 yards.
Jahmyr Gibbs said that he’s received “feedback” that suggests he could be selected between picks 20 and 25 in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The Alabama RB said his last clocking in the 40-yard dash was a 4.32 😳
“Gibbs’ vision and shiftiness are outstanding, as he can string together multiple cuts to find daylight,” McShay wrote. “The Bills could team him up with James Cook and Nyheim Hines to form a solid backfield and complement what quarterback Josh Allen does when he tucks and runs.”