When new coach Brian Callahan starts looking at the Tennessee Titans' roster for 2024, the name that has been synonymous with the team for the better part of a decade won't be guaranteed to be on it.

The Callahan hire ushers in a new generation for the Titans, one that might not include star running back Derrick Henry. After eight seasons, four Pro Bowls, two rushing titles and a 2,000-yard season in Nashville, Henry is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career.

Callahan is known as a quarterbacks coach first and foremost, and the offenses he coordinated with the Cincinnati Bengals were particularly pass heavy. But speaking on 102.5 The Game Friday morning, Callahan left the door open for Henry to return for a ninth season in a Titans uniform.

"I think a player like Derrick Henry fits in every offense," Callahan said. "He’s been a remarkable player. He’s been the face of the franchise for a long time. When you think of the Tennessee Titans, you think of Derrick Henry. He’s earned that. Look, if he is open to a return that fits for us, I’m never going to say no to good players."

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Henry turned 30 on Jan. 4, an age that's borderline ancient for modern running backs. But Henry was still one of the NFL's most productive running backs in 2023, rushing for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns while leading the league in carries. That said, Henry's 4.2 yards per attempt in 2023 was tied for the worst mark of his career and his 4.5 yards per touch (counting receptions) was the worst mark of his career.

With Henry heading to free agency, the Titans running back room figures to be built around second-year back Tyjae Spears. A 2023 third-round pick out of Tulane, Spears carried 100 ties for 453 yards and two touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 385 yards and a score as a rookie.

Bengals running back Joe Mixon has been one. of the league's most consistent backs under Callahan's watch, averaging 89 yards from scrimmage per game over the past five seasons. Mixon's profile aligns much more with Spears' than Henry's; Mixon was targeted with an average of 52 passes per season from 2019-23 to go along with his roughly 230 carries a year.

"He’s an incredible leader in this building as well, which also carries a lot of weight," Callahan continued on Henry. "You can find ways to use every player. There’s no offensive system that would say, 'I don’t like to have Derrick Henry here.' I certainly think he has some gas left in the tank, too. We’ll see where that goes. I know he’s going to hit the market and try to see what’s out there for him, but I would never say no to a player like that if they would like to return here and it fits for us. He’s meant so much to this city that I would never dismiss that."

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Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is Derrick Henry still a Titans target under coach Brian Callahan?