Derrick Henry expects to be ready for Tennessee Titans season opener

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry said he expects to be ready for the team’s regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

After having missed a ton of practice time and the Tennessee Titans’ first three preseason games, running back Derrick Henry said he expects to be ready for the regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns on September 8th.

Henry returned to practice last week after injuring his calf on the first day of training camp. Since then, he’s ramped up his participation to the point where he was almost a go on Sunday night in the Titans’ third preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, rainy weather and slick conditions played a role in the Titans sitting Henry out.

Before practice on Tuesday, Henry spoke to the media and said he expects to be ready for Week 1, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

"“That’s the plan,” Henry said on Tuesday.“I missed being out there with my teammates, but my focus has just been on getting healthy, and helping this team win games,” Henry said. “I am getting better each and every day to make sure I am ready to go Week One."

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel also stated that Henry could play in the preseason finale against the Chicago Bears on Thursday. Nothing has been officially decided as of yet, though.

Normally starters don’t get reps in the fourth preseason game and it’s possible Henry follows that trend, but considering his lack of reps throughout training camp and in practice, Vrabel might make an exception and give him a few snaps.

In fact, after a disastrous third preseason game in which the Titans’ offensive line failed to block for quarterback Marcus Mariota, forcing Vrabel to pull him early, the Titans head coach isn’t ruling out more starters playing on Thursday.

Henry is expected to be the lead man in the Titans’ rushing attack in 2019, so his importance to a run-first offense like Tennessee’s is obvious.

Henry totaled 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018. He really broke loose in the final four weeks of the season after he rolled his way to 585 yards and seven touchdowns in that span.