Tannehill wants Titans to sign Derrick Henry to long-term deal before deadline

As the deadline for teams to sign franchised players to longterm deals approaches, Ryan Tannehill is hopeful that the Tennessee Titans are able to strike a deal with running back Derrick Henry.

"I respect Derrick. I love playing with Derrick and think he played his tail off last year and should be paid," Tannehill told Sirius XM. "So you know, anytime a teammate gets paid, that's something that I get excited about. Especially a guy who worked extremely hard and lays it on the line each and every week. So, obviously would love to see Derrick get extended and, you know, I'll be keeping an eye on that."

Unfortunately, it looks like Tannehill's wish won't be coming true, as the Titans are reportedly unlikely to sign Henry to a longterm deal before the deadline today at 4 pm EST. If a deal is not reached, Henry will still be making good money, as the Titans placed a $10.27 million franchise tag on him in March.

While Tannehill might be rooting for his teammate to get paid, a big part of the reason Henry is not getting a bigger deal is that the team prioritized Tannehill's contract instead. In March, Tannehill signed a 4-year, $118 million deal with the Titans after helping to lead the team to the playoffs.

But the bigger reason the Titans may be hesitant to sign Henry long term is his position, as most running backs are known to fall off a cliff in terms of production before they hit 30. So even though Henry is an invaluable part of the team right now, they may not see him as a part of their big picture plans.