Derrick Henry’s contract is up after this season. I suspect the Tennessee Titans want him back.

If they didn’t, he’d already be gone.

The Titans could have traded their star running back when they moved safety Kevin Byard in October. Could have traded Henry this past offseason, too. Options would have been available.

But they didn’t do it, knowing full well that if Henry were to walk, they’d get zilch in return.

That was a clear hint about the Titans’ intentions with Henry. Other hints have been more subtle.

They’ve come in scenes like the locker room after an Oct. 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in which Henry passed Earl Campbell for second on the franchise’s all-time rushing list. Before Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk embraced Henry and told him, “I’m so proud of you,” coach Mike Vrabel tossed him a game ball and pointed back: “Tell that Buckeye we’re coming for him. OK. Tell Eddie George we’re coming for him.”

Note Vrabel’s word choice.

George ran for 10,009 yards in eight seasons with the franchise. Henry, with four games remaining in his eighth season, has 9,210. He’ll need at least a ninth season to catch George.

Vrabel had to realize that then. And he had to know it on Nov. 26, when he said of Henry: “Proud of him, the career that he’s had thus far (with) 9,000 yards. Need 10,000.”

Tennessee Titans, Derrick Henry don’t have to break up

As I see it, the question isn’t whether a Vrabel-led Titans would welcome Henry back in 2024.

It’ll be whether Henry wants to stay — probably at a reduced salary from what he’s making now and perhaps with a reduced role as well.

And that could get complicated.

For the first offseason in years, the Titans will have ample salary-cap space. That’s good. But they’ve got a long list of needs to address, and it has been well-documented how the league’s market for running backs has deteriorated. Like any other NFL team, the Titans shouldn’t be compelled to overpay for any running back.

Even a unicorn like Henry.

“No player like him,” Titans edge rusher Arden Key said, “255, 260 (pounds), built to run like that.”

From this summer:Here’s the harsh truth for Derrick Henry and his RB colleagues | Estes

Henry will turn 30 in January. He isn’t the same player who ran for 2,000 yards in 2020 and would have done it again in 2021 had he not broken his foot. But he hasn’t gone off a cliff like some running backs with similar odometer numbers. Talk of a steep decline is exaggerated.

With 875 yards, he is third in the NFL in rushing right now. And that’s with a losing team, a subpar offensive line and an offense that transitioned midstream to a rookie quarterback in Will Levis.

Henry has still reached at least 75 yards in seven of 13 games. Seems like each week brings news of another career milestone, the latest step in the direction of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I’m just thankful. I’m very blessed,” he said Thursday. “God has blessed me tremendously to keep going this long and have the success I’ve had. Hopefully, it continues.”