Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will undergo foot surgery.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said he does not know when Henry will return, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is reporting a 6-10 week timeline, with 8-10 weeks being more likely. The Titans signed Adrian Peterson on Monday and he will likely take on most of the early-down usage that Henry leaves behind. Jeremy McNichols projects to play the pass-catching role out of the backfield. That said, McNichols may need to play an expanded role in Week 9 if Peterson isn't quite up to speed.
Henry has accounted for 36.3% of the Titans' total offensive yards this season and 95.2% of the running back carries. McNichols is averaging 8.6 yards on 28 combined touches this season. Peterson rushed 156 times for 604 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2020, and he added another 101 receiving yards on 12 catches (18 targets). Among the 47 running backs with 100-plus carries last year, Peterson ranked 31st in Rushing Net Expected Points per carry (0.00). The league average for 2020 was 0.03 Rushing NEP per carry.
Source: John Lennon, SI.com