Titans Release Dion Lewis

After two unproductive seasons in Nashville, the Tennessee Titans are cutting running back Dion Lewis. The Titans informed Lewis that he’ll be released, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lewis signed a four-year, $20 million deal in 2018.

Due to the emergence of Derrick Henry, arguably the NFL's most dominant running back, Lewis became an afterthought in the Titans' offense.  Lewis amassed just 209 yards on 54 carries and caught only 25 passes for 164 yards last year.

Lewis played 61 percent of the snaps in his first season in Tennessee, but that percentage shrunk to 37 in 2019. 

Lewis was a non-factor in the Titans' offense last season. (James Kenney/AP)

Releasing Lewis clears just over $4 million from the salary cap, making this a no-brainer move for the Titans. The release of Lewis gives the Titans more funds to negotiate with Henry, a free agent. The Titans may place the franchise tag on Henry if the two sides cannot come to terms on a deal.

The Titans are rumored to have interest in free agent QB Tom Brady, but could opt to bring back Ryan Tannehill instead. After leading the Titans to the AFC Championship in his first season with the franchise, Tannehill could ink a long-term deal to remain in Tennessee. Tannehill made his first career Pro Bowl in 2019, won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and led the league in passer rating.

Lewis enjoyed his best seasons with the New England Patriots. A member of the Patriots for three years (2015-17), Lewis helped the Patriots win Super LI. He played a crucial role in the team's run to Super LII during his impressive 2017 campaign.

Lewis forced 49 missed tackles in 2017 and registered 3.17 yards after contact, both team-highs, according to Pro Football Focus. Even more impressive, Lewis ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ “elusive rating,” which combines missed tackles and yards after contact.

A force in the passing game, Lewis did not drop a single pass (35 targets) in 2017, one of only 11 players to see more than 30 targets without dropping a pass. In terms of catch rate, he ranked first (91.4%) in the league among qualified players.

Unable to replicate that level of success with the Titans, the 29-year-old Lewis will look to join a new team this offseason. Lewis, a fifth-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, has collected 19 TDs (11 rushing, seven receiving, one kick return) in his nine-year career. He has accumulated 2,310 rushing yards, to go along with 172 catches and 1,281 receiving yards, in 85 games played.

Derrick Henry Runs for Titans-Record 238 Yards

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry exploded for a franchise-record 238 yards and four touchdowns in a 30-9 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound sturdy tailback scored on a 99-yard TD run in the second quarter.

UNREAL.

Derrick Henry just stiff arms everyone in one of the best TD runs you will ever see!#JAXvsTEN pic.twitter.com/VrteMn4oM8

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 7, 2018

Henry's 99-yard touchdown dash tied Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett for the longest run in NFL history. 

Before Thursday, Henry's longest run this year was only 16 yards. Struggling for most of the season, Henry had three touchdown runs of at least 16 yards against the Jags, including a 54-yard score. Entering the contest with 474 rushing yards on 128 carries—an average of merely 3.7 yards per attempt—Henry increased his season total to 712 yards and his yards per carry up to 4.9. He accumulated his 238 yards on just 17 carries. Henry became just the sixth player ever to rush for over 200 yards on fewer than 18 carries. 

Derrick Henry ran all over the Jags. (James Kenney/AP)

The last time Henry rushed for over 70 yards came last postseason in the Titans' upset over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. 
       Henry has split the running duties with free agent acquisition Dion Lewis, a major asset in the passing game, and at times has suffered from a lack of carries. But Thursday's game should provide confidence for the Titans' coaching staff that Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, can be a elite running back who deserves a large allotment of carries.

Dion Lewis is the Most Talented Patriots Running Back of the Tom Brady Era

                Countless running backs have thrived for the New England Patriots since Tom Brady took over the starting quarterback duties in 2001.

                The most prominent fixture in the running back rotation of the Brady-era, Kevin Faulk was utilized primarily as a pass-catching back. Faulk spent his entire 13-year (1999-2011) career with the franchise and was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame.

                Short-term former workhorses include two-time Super Bowl champion  Antowain Smith (2001-03), 2004 Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Corey Dillon (2004-06), Lawrence Maroney (2006-09)—who rushed for over 100 yards in consecutive playoff games following the 2007 perfect regular season—BenJarvus Green-Ellis (2008-2011), Stevan Ridley (2011-14) and two-time Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount (2013, 2014-16).

                Now an afterthought in the Patriots current running back corps, James White put together one of the best performances in Super Bowl history just 11 months ago—catching 14 passes for 110 yards and a score, and turning six carries into 29 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots’ historic comeback win in Super Bowl LI.

                Rex Burkhead has looked tremendous when healthy this season and even Mike Gillislee, a frequent healthy scratch, managed five touchdowns on the year.

                But White, Burkhead and Gillislee didn’t come close to the production of Dion Lewis, the team’s lead back after starting out the year fourth-string in the rotation. Statistics aside, they simply can’t measure up talent wise to Lewis—in fact, no running back from the Brady-era can.

                Lewis—who carried the ball a career-high 26 times for 93 yards and a touchdown with a season-high six receptions for 40 yards and another score in Sunday’s win over the New York Jets—is as dynamic and complete a player as running backs come. He rarely gets brought down by the first would-be tackler. He forced 49 missed tackles and registered 3.17 yards after contact, both team-highs, according to Pro Football Focus. Even more impressive, Lewis ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ “elusive rating,” which combines missed tackles and yards after contact.

                A force in the passing game, Lewis did not drop a single pass (35 targets) all season, one of only 11 players to see more than 30 targets without dropping a pass. In terms of catch rate, he ranked first (91.4%) in the league among qualified players.

                Not only is Lewis an elite ball-carrier and pass-catcher, he also excels as a blocker in pass protection. He did not allow any QB hurries on 35 blocks this season. Lewis and teammate James Develin, a Pro Bowl selection, were two of four players to not allow any pressures among qualified halfbacks and fullbacks.

                The explosiveness of Lewis is matched by few running backs across the league. He has all the makings of a superstar, and proved that by totaling four touchdowns in the past two weeks in which he has been given a full workload in the backfield. 

                Lewis is a free agent in the offseason and could be in line for a big payday elsewhere. So before the Patriots go for their third Lombard Trophy in four seasons, let’s take a chance to recognize how special a player Lewis has been this year—just in case the most talented Patriots running back (since Brady has been under center) departs after the season.