Titans RB Derrick Henry Losing His Job To Rookie 3rd Round Pick

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Titans’ star running back Derrick Henry is losing snaps to rookie 3rd round pick Tyjae Spears, who played the majority of the Week 1 loss to the Saints.

Spears took the field for 34 snaps, while Henry, a two-time All-Pro, saw action for just 30 snaps, according to Zachary Krueger of NBC’s Rotoworld.

Although Henry managed to run for 63 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 56 yards, the majority of his touches came in the first half, with only five touches in the second half.

This resulted in Spears out-snapping Henry over the course of the game, which ultimately ended in a disappointing 16-15 loss for the Titans, with quarterback Ryan Tannehill throwing three interceptions.

Notably, Spears was the go-to choice on every 3rd-down situation, while Derrick Henry did not see any snaps on 3rd-down plays.

This shift in playing time raises questions about how the Titans may be reassessing their approach to the 29-year-old Henry, who has an impressive list of accolades to his name, including two All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowl appearances, two NFL rushing yards titles, two NFL rushing touchdowns titles, and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in 2020.

Running backs in the NFL are known to have shorter career spans compared to other positions, and Henry, who entered the league in 2016 as a 2nd round pick after a standout collegiate career at Alabama, has endured a significant workload over the years.

The question now lingers: Is losing snaps to a rookie a developing trend or merely a one-time occurrence for the Titans’ star running back.