The Tennessee Titans will be forced to contend for a division title without star running back Derrick Henry, who's expected to be sidelined for several weeks with a foot injury. But it didn't take too long for them to fill the backfield void.
According to multiple reports, the franchise is signing longtime running back Adrian Peterson to its active roster on Friday, which means that he'll be ready to play in the Titans' primetime road matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. Peterson joined the Titans' practice squad earlier this week.
"Peterson may not be the explosive player that he has been throughout his Hall of Fame career, but you don't forget how to run the football," Titans radio analyst Kevin Dyson told The DA Show on Friday. "I think he can be effective. He won't be Henry in his prime, or even himself in his prime. But through the right scheme, guys making their blocks, doing their assignments, their two or three guys who have opportunities to run the ball can be effective."
Peterson, who turned 36 in March, played 16 games for the Detroit Lions last season, rushing for 604 yards on 156 carries with seven touchdowns. In the Titans' backfield, he'll be paired with pass-catching back Jeremy McNichols, whose exact role has yet to be determined.
The tandem can't be asked to pick up where Henry left off. Before underdoing surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot on Tuesday morning, the two-time reigning rushing champion led the league with 219 carries, 937 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns. Peterson ranks fifth on the all-time rushing list, 180 yards shy of reaching the coveted 15,000 milestone.
Tennessee (6-2) and Los Angeles (7-1) will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday. According to FiveThirtyEight projections, the Titans have a 97-percent chance to win the AFC South and a 32-percent chance to clinch the first-round bye.
The entire Titans conversation between Dyson and DA can be accessed in the audio player above.
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