'King' Derrick Henry Fit For Falcons Trade?
The NFC South is up for grabs opening the window for the Atlanta Falcons to capture the divisional crown for the first time since 2016, when they made it to the Super Bowl only to infamously blow their 28-3 lead to future divisional rival Tom Brady and his New England Patriots.
In such a competitive division, all it takes is one player to swing the pendulum of power toward a particular team. CBS Sports believes that the Falcons could be a fit for said type of player in Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.
“Whenever he’s on the field, Henry carries Tennessee’s offense; to this day, no one matches his combo of size (6-3, 245), speed, and experience at the position,” CBS Sports said.
"King Henry" has been dominant since being drafted out of Alabama in 2016, averaging nearly 1.2 thousand yards rushing on 4.8 yards per carry and 11.6 touchdowns per season. However, at age 29, CBS Sports doesn’t believe the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year Award winner fits in Tennessee, given the organization's direction.
“The Titans are in a rebuilding phase, or at least should be, and can save $6.3M by dealing the big man, who’s entering a contract year,” CBS Sports said.
The Falcons are one of the teams in the NFL that embraces the run game. Last season the team ranked first in rushing attempts with 559 and third in total rushing yards at 2,718.
If Atlanta was to trade for the veteran rusher, he could alleviate the pressure being placed on a quarterback room that currently lacks a captain. Henry could become the offense’s focal point while also helping mentor last year’s fifth-round draft selection Tyler Allgeier.
As a rookie last season, Allgeier rushed for over 1000 yards. Still, given his lack of draft capital, the organization could look to bring additional help in bolstering its run-centered offense.
With Henry on the Falcons roster, the entire team could look to adopt his “King” moniker as they look to sit atop the NFC South throne for the first time in seven seasons.
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