Tennessee will have running back Derrick Henry back on the active roster for Saturday's AFC Divisonal Playoff vs. the Bengals. (AP photo)

The Tennessee Titans will have Derrick Henry on the field for their AFC divisional game with Cincinnati after moving the NFL’s 2019 and 2020 rushing leader from injured reserve to the active roster.

The Titans (12-5) made the roster move Friday after watching Henry practice since Jan. 5.

Henry, 28, broke his right foot Oct. 31 and had the break repaired with a steel plate Nov. 2. Henry was the NFL’s rushing leader when placed on injured reserve. Despite missing the final nine games, Henry finished as the league’s ninth-leading rusher with 937 yards.

Signs that Henry would play became clear Wednesday when he talked with media for the first time since breaking his foot, and said he felt ready. He was voted the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year after running for 2,027 yards, the fifth-highest total in NFL history.

Coach Mike Vrabel said Thursday that Henry had been progressing well after they increased his workload through the week. That included putting pads on Tuesday to give Henry a chance to thud into and run through defenders.

The prospect of having Henry back on the field against the Bengals (11-7) has had his teammates thrilled. Henry ranks second all-time averaging 111.7 yards rushing in the postseason.

“We know what Derrick can do when he’s in there …,” left tackle Taylor Lewan said Thursday on the final day players talked before kickoff. “Adding Derrick to the mix, if that happens, is exciting. However, … just because 22′s in the game doesn’t mean we’re going to automatically win.”

TITANS LOOKING TO DEFENSE

Tennessee linebacker Bud Dupree feels as good as he’s been all season and possibly is as healthy as he’s been in well over a year.

That could go for the rest of his Titans defensive teammates.

And the timing couldn’t be better with Tennessee (12-5) hosting Cincinnati in an AFC divisional game Saturday.

“Right at the right time,” Dupree said. “I feel like everything’s coming together. … For me just getting back healthy and trying to peak at the right moments, and I feel like right now during this time right here will be one of my best games.”

Dupree spent his first season with the Titans working back into shape from the right ACL he tore in December 2020 with Pittsburgh. He started the season opener only to realize his desire to help his new team helped him ignore that his knee wasn’t where he wanted. He wound up starting six of 11 games played.

While the Bengals (11-7) are dealing with injuries on their defensive line, Tennessee is healthier on defense than it’s been in months. In a season where the Titans used 91 players — most in a non-strike season — they also led the league in using 43 players on defense. Cincinnati was fourth with 39.

Linebacker David Long Jr. was inactive for six weeks recovering from a hamstring injury, while linebacker Rashaan Evans was out five. Linebacker Jayon Brown and starting cornerback Kristian Fulton had stints on injured reserve. Starting cornerback Jackrabbit Jenkins missed three of four games.

Safety Amani Hooker started the season, then spent the next four weeks on IR. Cornerback Caleb Farley, the Titans’ top draft pick, suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first start.

Only All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, outside linebacker Harold Landry III and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons started every game during the regular season. That forced coaches to mix and match while getting new additions up to speed quickly.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen says that helped the Titans develop depth. With so many playing, the Titans also have a wider range of skillsets to use giving them flexibility for different downs and distances.

“There’s places where guys can go in the game and do some different things based on what we’re doing defensively, what they’re doing offensively and how we see fit, so that’s grown and now that we got guys back we’ve kind of developed some of those guys where they might have a role,” Bowen said.

The revolving door on defense didn’t hurt Tennessee’s production.

The Titans finished second against the run, sixth in allowing 20.8 points a game, seventh inside their 20 in allowing touchdowns at a rate of 51.7% of such trips, tied for ninth with 43 sacks as well as 12th in allowing 329.8 yards per game.

They joined the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans as the only defenses to rank in the top 12 for points allowed, sacks, third down efficiency, red zone efficiency and total yards per game.

Dupree said playing all season with Denico Autry (nine sacks) and Landry (career-high 12 sacks) means they all know how to work together with Simmons. They also know who tends to draw one-on-one blocking.

“Coming into the playoffs, it’s always great to have that information so you can capitalize on the moments,” Dupree said.

Byard says the Titans are a confident group playing their best when it matters.

“The guys on the front seven, those guys are hungry and those guys are making plays …,” Byard said. “It makes jobs easier for us on the backend, so it’s been fun, for sure.”