Getty Derrick Henry, potential Patriots signee
The New England Patriots are in line for a coaching change, and whether it is Jerod Mayo, as expected, or some surprise outside candidate who takes over for Bill Belichick, there is no question the team will need an offensive overhaul. And while the running backs were not the root of the team’s problems last season, there will be a player on the market who could be a stalwart option in the backfield: Titans running back Derrick Henry, who will be a free agent this offseason.
According to Bookies.com, the Patriots are favored to land Henry in free agency, coming in with odds of plus-350, which approximates a 22.2% chance of signing him. The Cincinnati Bengals are second on the list of potential teams, at plus-500 (16.7%) and the Raiders are third at plus-600 (14.3%). At plus-850, the Giants are the only other team with higher than 10% odds to sign Henry.
The Patriots will enter the offseason with three running backs under contract—Rhamondre Stevenson, the presumed starter, who will be in the final year of a $1.2 million contract, as well as journeyman JaMychal Hasty ($1.4 million) and 2022 sixth-round pick Kevin Harris ($985K). The Patriots have an out on Hasty’s contract and, assuming they exercise it, they’ll have a $2.2 million running back room.
There is the option of bringing back Ezekiel Elliott, who played well, but no doubt, Henry would be an upgrade.
Derrick Henry Remains an All-Time Great
Of course, Henry is 30 years old which is, typically, way past the expiration date for running backs in the NFL. But then, there are exceptions and based on how Henry played last year, he should be considered one.
He is not the 2,000-yard rusher (one of eight in NFL history) that he was in 2020, but Henry did carry for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns, and ranked second in the NFL in both categories. Henry led the league with 280 carries and, despite that, did not fumble all season.
He was named to the Pro Bowl roster, the fourth time in his career he has done so. Not only is Henry a history-making former 2,000-yard rusher, but he has led the NFL in yards and touchdowns twice and is one of the great workhorses in the game’s history—he has scored double-digit touchdowns for six straight seasons and led the NFL in carries four of the past five years.
He will be an interesting case study in free agency this winter, because his talent is still there, but his age will be a factors, as well as the collapsing market on running backs. Spotrac projects him getting only a one-year, $4.3 million contract, which seems absurdly low, and Pro Football Focus has him getting a more reasonable two-year, $20 million contract.
It is impossible to say what the Patriots will do at quarterback next season, but whether it is bringing in a veteran or drafting a young player, having Henry in the backfield could be a nice security blanket. He is a solid receiver in the flat, and totaled 214 yards on 28 catches last year.
Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson Struggled in 2023
Signing Henry would leave Stevenson in limbo, coming off a rocky year that saw him dealing with injuries and losing out carries to Elliott. Stevenson missed five games and totaled 619 yards on 156 carries, for an average of 4.0 yards per carry. That’s not bad (Henry averaged 4.2 yards last year) but it is off of the 5.0 yards he averaged the previous year, when he ran for 1,040 yards.
It will help, too, that Henry is a much-respected veteran who could help Mayo in his transition into the head-coaching role.
After his final game in Tennessee, Henry addressed fans with a short but classy farewell speech. The BeerandBallPod Twitter/X account posted it with the caption, “Derrick Henry’s farewell to Tennessee.”
Derrick Henry’s farewell to Tennessee