Dion Lewis on Titans backfield pairing with Derrick Henry: ‘They’re going to use both of us’

Dion Lewis believes he and his new backfield partner, Derrick Henry, will be plenty productive for the Tennessee Titans this season.

In fact, as Lewis told Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on the SiriusXM Blitz, a significant part of what drew the free agent from the New England Patriots to the Titans was the chance to share the rushing load with Henry.

‘I’m just going to work as hard as I can to carve myself a pretty good role on this team’

“I think they’re going to use both of us,” Lewis said. “Derrick’s a great back and I’m happy to be a part of the backfield with him, so I think we can form a pretty good one-two punch. But at this time of year, just learning a new system. … Whatever my role is, I’m just going to work as hard as I can to carve myself a pretty good role on this team.”

Lewis said the four-year, $19.8-million contract the Titans gave him, along with the opportunity to be part of the program of first-year coach and former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, made Tennessee more enticing than other teams interested in signing him.

‘You need two running backs that can play and I think, with his skill set and my skill set, we can complement each other’

“Obviously, the money’s good, but the money was similar with other teams as well, so I just wanted to go somewhere where there was a great coach, had been established, a winning team and a chance to compete,” Lewis said. “And I felt Tennessee offered all those things to me. And also having another great back in the backfield was something I was looking forward to as well. Obviously, every team, you need two running backs that can play and I think, with his skill set and my skill set, we can complement each other rather well and that was one of the big factors in my decision.

Vrabel’s Patriot influence on the Titans has been easy for Lewis to see. But the running back also has noticed that Vrabel is putting his own stamp on the team.

‘Coach Vrabel played with the Patriots for a long time, so, obviously, some of the things that he preaches are some of the things that he’s played under‘

“It’s a little bit different and a little similar at the same time,” Lewis said. “Obviously, Coach Vrabel played with the Patriots for a long time, so, obviously, some of the things that he preaches are some of the things that he’s played under. But at the same time, he has his own way of communicating to us and his expectations of us. Just going by the way he is and everybody just buying into the culture he’s trying to establish here, I’m excited to play for him.”