Titans running back Derrick Henry signs franchise tender

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans running back Derrick Henry has signed a franchise tender that puts him under contract for the 2020 season as Tennessee works toward reaching a long-term deal with the 2019 NFL rushing leader.

Team officials announced Thursday that Henry had signed the tender. The Titans gave him a franchise tag March 16, a move that means he will be paid $10.2 million in the 2020 season unless they sign him to a long-term deal by July 15.

Titans general manager Jon Robinson said during a Wednesday conference call that he spoke to Henry’s agents after the team tagged him.

“It was good that they communicated back that he does want to be here and he wants to keep working on this thing,” Robinson said. “It wasn’t something that, ‘OK well, I’ll take it and I’m done or I’m just going to do whatever.’ He wants to be here and he conveyed the message to me through his agent that he wants to keep working on this thing, and we do, too.”

Henry rushed for an NFL-leading 1,540 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry while earning his first Pro Bowl invitation last season. He also became the first man to run for at least 180 yards in three consecutive games at any point in a season.

He rushed for 16 touchdowns during the regular season to tie Green Bay’s Aaron Jones for the league lead.