Why is Titans running back Derrick Henry still wearing No. 2?

If you watched Derrick Henry’s highlights from his first NFL preseason game, a couple things stood out. First, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner looked good. Also, he was still wearing jersey No. 2.

That flies in college, where we see skill-position players, defensive backs and even some linebackers wearing single-digit numbers. And it’s very cool. Charles Woodson wearing No. 2 for Michigan seems iconic, as does Deion Sanders doing it at Florida State. Oddball jersey numbers are great — I still love that Doug Flutie and Bernie Kosar wore numbers in the 20s while playing quarterback in college. And when Henry was dominating the SEC at Alabama, he wore No. 2.

But that doesn’t play in the NFL (which needs to lighten up and lift all restrictions on jersey numbers). Even though rules have been relaxed for receivers to wear numbers in the teens, running backs need to have a number between 20 and 49. But there Henry was for the Tennessee Titans last week, wearing No. 2. It was cool, but it won’t last much longer.

Henry hasn’t gotten some special exemption from the NFL. He’ll be in a normal number by the time the regular season starts. But he’s stalling while he tries to get his preferred number.

According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, Henry wants No. 24. But veteran cornerback Perrish Cox has it. Cox looks like a shrewd businessman. He had No. 29 until the Titans traded for DeMarco Murray. He gave Murray No. 29 but didn’t disclose what Murray had to give up for it. Cox then switched to 24, and now Henry wants that. Cox is probably going to get paid twice for his uniform number in one offseason, which has to be a first in the weird subculture of football players paying teammates to change jersey numbers.

So Henry waits, perhaps because Cox is still negotiating, and also because Cox wants to see what numbers will be available after the final roster cutdown.

“We’re just trying to wait and see what numbers come available,” Henry told ESPN.com. “If a number comes available that he wants, then we’ll try to work something out.

“We’re still not sure yet, we just have to wait. I’m anxious too to find our what number I will wear.”

The Titans probably wouldn’t mind figuring it out. They seem to have every jersey imaginable available on their site (hey, if you’re looking for that Dorial Green-Beckham or Zach Mettenberger in dark blue, you’re in luck), but Henry is conspicuously absent. As a second-round pick at a skill position and a college star — surely they’d sell a few Henry Titans jerseys in the state of Alabama — Henry will presumably be one of the Titans’ best-selling jerseys.

Maybe the Titans should take advantage of Henry’s odd preseason jersey number and sell No. 2. It’ll be a collector’s item soon.