Tennessee Titans provide injury update on Julio Jones, A.J. Brown
The Tennessee Titans have struggled to keep their star wide receivers healthy all season. Both AJ Brown and Julio Jones have been available in limited stints through the first six weeks but hope for a healthy finish.
Jones missed two games with a hamstring injury but returned Monday night with three catches for 59 yards in the Titans upset win over the Buffalo Bills. Brown was questionable in that game but finished with seven catches for 91 yards while playing through food poisoning.
After both wide receivers missed practice Wednesday, Jones returned in limited capacity Thursday. However, Brown remains out, saying on social media he still cannot eat regularly.
“My body is rejecting any food I eat,” Brown posted.
Starting left tackle Taylor Lewan and reserve wide receiver Chester Rogers remained out of practice Thursday, and the Titans gave running back Derrick Henry a rest day.
Outside linebacker Bud Dupree was added to the injury report with a knee injury, but remained a limited participant in practice.
Derrick Henry’s record-setting pace
The absence of wide receivers Julio Jones and AJ Brown has been offset by Titans running back Derrick Henry, who has emerged as the NFL’s most dominant rushing threats of the era. He already holds consecutive rushing titles and remains on pace to shatter the NFL record books.
Henry has 783 rushing yards this season, adding 16 catches for 138 yards. At this pace, he would finish the season with 2,219 rushing yards, and 2,610 scrimmage yards.
At the six-week mark, just over one-third of the season, the Titans running back is on pace to set four NFL records. First, the all-time record for carries in a season, currently held by Larry Johnson (416). Next, Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105). James Wilder’s record for carries and receptions (492) is also in danger. Finally, he is on pace to shatter Chris Johnson’s scrimmage yards record (2,509).
“I just don’t try to get too caught up in it and worry about things like that,” Henry said, via NBC Sports. “I really worry about how we do as a team, how we do as an offense, and what I can do to help the team each and every week. How can I be better? Rather than, this record is coming up or I have a chance to break this record.”
Titans running back Derrick Henry can also become the first running back since Emmitt Smith to claim three straight rushing titles and the first player in NFL history with consecutive 2,000-yard rushing seasons.