The rumor mill said running back Derrick Henry would get traded this offseason, or at least have to take a pay cut to stay with the Tennessee Titans. Neither happened.

Instead, the former Alabama All-American tackled his legendary offseason workout program as usual, then reported to the Titans when they reached Phase 3 of their offseason program.

MORE NFL:

· TUA TAGOVAILOA DONATES $10,000 AFTER SUPERFAN’S DEATH

· EAGLES QB JALEN HURTS SHOWS HE CAN HIT, TOO – WITH PHILLIES

· FORMER AUBURN STANDOUT SIGNS UNUSUAL CONTRACT WITH SEAHAWKS

Henry said he preferred to “get into football and not worry about the other stuff.”

“You can’t really worry about that too much,” Henry said on Tuesday. “Just control what you can control. Continue to work until it’s time to get back.”

Henry not only is still with the team, he joined the offseason program earlier than normal. Henry usually concentrates on his individual workout regimen until mandatory minicamp. But this year, Henry has been at the six voluntary OTA practices that preceded this week’s required-attendance minicamp.

Tennessee is in the final phase of its offseason program, when teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity (usually referred to as OTAs) and a three-day mandatory minicamp. No contact work is permitted during these practices, but teams can expand their offseason workouts to include 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

After this week’s three-day minicamp, the Titans will finish OTAs with four practices next week before breaking for the summer.

With Tennessee changing offensive coordinators this offseason, Henry wanted to get as much work on the field as he could.

“It’s a completely new offense,” Henry said. “Just coming in here trying to learn everything, get used to the terminology that has changed. …

“Try to get on it as early as I can and learn and be around the guys and just fly around and be out here with them and get some reps in so I come back ready to go during camp.”

Henry finished second in the NFL in rushing yards last season with 1,538. He led the league with 349 rushing attempts, scored 13 touchdowns and caught 33 passes for 398 yards.

In the five seasons since Henry became Tennessee’s top running back, he has averaged 100 rushing yards and scored 70 touchdowns in 71 regular-season games and averaged 109.6 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns in five playoff contests.

Why would anyone think the Titans would trade Henry?

RELATED: MOTHERLY ADVICE TO TITANS GM: ‘YOU BETTER NOT TRADE DERRICK HENRY’

Maybe because three days before Tennessee’s final regular-season game of the 2023 campaign, Henry will turn 30 year old, the birthday on which NFL running backs apparently are thought to go from virile to decrepit overnight.

Or maybe because of his contract, which is in its final season and will count $16.368 million against the Titans’ 2023 salary cap – the biggest hit for a running back in the NFL.

Or maybe because of the perceived direction of the franchise, which lost its final seven games of the 2022 season, is installing a new offense and changed general managers, with new top man Ran Carthon overhauling several areas of the team, including the offensive line.

“I’m not going to change what I do,” Henry said, a point perhaps emphasized by the sleeveless shirt with “Angry Runs” written on it that he wore during Tuesday’s press conference. “Just continue to work, be who I am and let everything else take care of itself.”

That leaves Henry preparing for his eighth season with Tennessee, making him the longest-tenured member of the Titans’ offensive unit after the team parted ways with center Ben Jones (a former Bibb County standout) and tackle Taylor Lewan.

“I definitely miss those guys,” Henry said. “But at the end of the day, you got to come to work, do your job and lead by example, and that’s what I try to do. If the guys have any questions, I’m here to help. Be the best teammate I can, but, you know, I definitely miss those guys, for sure.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.