Titans RB Derrick Henry cleared for contact ahead of Bengals game

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Monday that "we’re going to need to run the football" to get past the Cincinnati Bengals this Saturday and book a trip to the AFC Championship Game. Part of that plan involves getting All-Pro running back and former Most Valuable Player candidate Derrick Henry back in the lineup for the first time since he injured his foot on Halloween.

Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Vrabel confirmed that Henry will practice in pads during Tuesday's session as part of the 28-year-old's ongoing journey toward potentially taking the field on Saturday afternoon. 

"I think that’s a good step for him to have contact," Vrabel explained. "It’s been a while since he’s had contact and had to do these things that come close to replicating what’s going to be asked of him in a football game. We’ll have a week to work, see how he feels and make a decision." 

It's possible Henry, who was leading the NFL with 937 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground when he was initially sidelined, will not be ruled in or out for the Bengals game until Friday at the earliest. D'Onta Foreman finished the season second on the Titans with 566 rushing yards and three touchdowns but will fall to RB2 on the depth chart whenever Henry is cleared to play.