Travis Henry Traded to Titans

[peepinmofo]

yea, but why would the Titans trade for him if he's just going to hold out?...

 

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Thats why the Bills got a great deal. The deal does not have anything to do with Henry signing an extension. He could be a free agent next year. Maybe he'll come back to Buffalo to back up McGahee? Not likely!!!

[Piranha]

From the Bills perspective, they got what they wanted...

a 3rd round pick. first come first serve.

 

From Henry's perspective

He can't be too happy about it. I think he would have preferred a guaranteed starting role.

 

IMO - I think henry is better than Brown, and if there's a competition in training camp, I think Henry takes it.

However this looks like it could be a RBBC and make a very disgruntled Henry once again.

Edited July 17, 2005 by Piranha

[SLAYER]

Heard on the radio that the titans are in the process of working on an extension and that the trade was based on them working it out, which they said was pretty sure deal, that why it was announced. Also metioned that Henry would be given an equal shot at the starting job in spring training, maybe part of the deal?

[CaptainHook]

Exactly. Tennessee can audition both these guys and decide where they want to spend their money at RB after this year.

[Grits and Shins]

My thoughts run along these lines.  Something else I haven't seen mentioned a ton (I haven't looked at the rankings or anything yet) is that Brown wasn't very good in short-yardage and goal line situations last year.  I'd bet Henry is the goal-line guy period.  Brown with yards, Henry with scores, halving the value of both.  So unless Brown misses significant time and Henry stays healthy (remember Henry, though tough, hasn't been the most durable either), it'll prolly be the ol' RBBC.  Oh, and that doesn't take into account if Nash or Payton shows something and gets significan't time.

 

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The big problem with your theory, that Henry would be the short yardage/goal line back, is that Henry has a propensity to fumble the ball.

[Seahawks21]

DAMMMMMMIIIITTTTT!!!! Now Shaun isn't going anywhere!!!

I personally am quite enamoured with Henry every time I watch him run. I see burst and toughness. If you see Brown get dinged up early don't be surprised if Henry wins the job, and the fans, thus retaining the starting gig even when Brown becomes healthy. I traded for him in my keeper league after he got demoted last year. I had hoped he would find a good opportunity and I'd be able to keep him, but I can't fathom keeping a backup. Or taking one over a quality receiver in the draft. Goodbye Travis, it was nice to have ya for, well, zero games.

Edited July 17, 2005 by Seahawks21

[spain]

This is absolutely fantastic news for a franchise that desperately needed something good to happen. Cheese was a VERY POPULAR player at the Univ of Tennessee. Most people favored him over Jamal Lewis after Lewis came back from the knee injury because Henry was such a tough sob. I still think this is Browns job to lose, obviously. But this creates much needed depth in the event of another injury to Brown and a change of pace back. A 3rd rounder for Henry was a steal imo.

 

Henry deal gets Titans tough back

 

Ex-Vol 'excited' to move from Buffalo to Nashville

 

By PAUL KUHARSKY

Staff Writer

 

 

The Titans have found common ground with the Buffalo Bills and will acquire running back Travis Henry in exchange for a third-round draft pick.

 

Henry, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, is expected to be in Nashville tomorrow to be introduced as a Titan.

Tenika Cunningham, Henry's sister, said from the family's home in Frostproof, Fla., that her brother learned the news yesterday afternoon.

 

"Yeah, it's happened," she said. "His agent gave him a phone call and said as of now, he's a Titan. He feels great, he's excited."

 

Attempts to reach Titans General Manager Floyd Reese and Bills GM Tom Donahoe yesterday were also unsuccessful.

 

Henry's agent, Hadley Engelhard, said yesterday afternoon that he had heard the deal was happening, but not from an official with the Bills or Titans.

 

"Travis is obviously excited to come play in Tennessee," Engelhard said. "He has a lot of roots there."

 

Paperwork will have to be finalized and Henry will have to pass a physical for the trade to become official.

 

Henry will give the Titans' offense and new coordinator Norm Chow some intriguing options.

 

The former University of Tennessee star will start out as the backup to third-year pro Chris Brown, but Chow fared well in the college ranks using two backs. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Brown and the 5-foot-9, 215-pound Henry might fit the big-back/small-back formula and could even get some snaps on the field together.

 

Engelhard said he had not agreed to terms on any sort of contract extension for Henry, who is entering the final year of his original deal with the Bills. Henry is scheduled for a base salary of $1.25 million.

 

The Jaguars and Seahawks were also interested in acquiring Henry, and Engelhard said he has negotiated with the Titans, Jaguars and Seahawks regularly since the NFL Draft on April 23-24.

 

The Titans had hoped they could lock up Henry with a long-term deal as part of a trade. The Bills had been asking for a third-round pick, and the Titans had been offering a fourth-rounder or a fourth-rounder that could have escalated to a third rounder if Henry hit some high benchmarks this season.

 

Henry averaged 5.5 yards a carry at UT and remains the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,078 yards. In 2001 the Bills drafted Henry in the second round, 58th overall.

 

In four seasons with the Bills he has played in 54 games, starting 48. He turned 963 carries into 3,849 yards for a 4.0-yard average and has scored 27 touchdowns.

 

Henry became disgruntled when the Bills drafted Willis McGahee in 2001, then demanded a trade when he lost his starting job to the second-round pick.

 

Brown was a third-round draft pick out of Colorado in 2003, 93rd overall. He shined often last year, his first as the Titans' feature back, but he has not proven he has the durability to last an entire season.

 

Taking over the job held for eight seasons by Eddie George, Brown rushed for 1,067 yards last year and his 4.9-yard average per carry was the highest in the NFL among running backs with a minimum of 200 carries.

 

He missed five games, however, including the final three because of an increasingly serious case of turf toe. That injury hindered him through the second half of the season.

 

He had minor surgery on both ankles after the finale, then cracked a hand in a May minicamp practice, forcing him to sit out the June minicamp.

 

The acquisition of Henry was publicly endorsed by Titans owner Bud Adams in the spring.

 

"We think he has a lot of ability," Adams told The Tennessean on May 26. "We think he has four good years left. Because of where he went to college, I think he'd be real popular with the fans. I think he'd be a real good addition."

 

Henry's arrival also probably closes the door on George, the all-time leading rusher for the Titans who had hoped to re-sign with his former team after playing last season for the Cowboys.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...386/1002/SPORTS

[spain]

Oh Henry! Deal gives Titans fans some cheer

 

Commentary by DAVID CLIMER

Senior Writer

 

 

For the last several months we have been reminded that this is a rebuilding year, that the bullet is being bitten, that the Titans are sacrificing in the short term to succeed over the long haul. And then they swap a third-round pick in 2006 for Travis Henry.

 

This is a mixed message, but one that should be welcomed by Titans fans who are not enamored with the thought of another 5-11 season. You don't pursue a player like Henry if you're throwing in the towel.

 

Beyond that, it's clear that if/when the Titans come to terms with Henry, this will be more than a one-year deal. You don't go for a quick fix at running back when there are so many glaring weaknesses elsewhere. It's not like the Titans are one running back away from the Super Bowl.

 

No, Henry is part of the larger overhaul. He may be a veteran back, but he has plenty of mileage left. The arrival of Willis McGahee in Buffalo may have pushed Henry out of the huddle, but it also saved significant wear on his legs last season.

 

Apparently, the Titans are banking on his input in their offense not only this fall but for the next two or three years. In other words, Titans brass must believe that (1) the upcoming season will not be a total bust and (2) this thing is going to be rebuilt sooner rather than later.

 

Really, that is the only rational explanation for why Titans General Manager Floyd Reese would part with a third-round draft choice. There are few things Reese covets more than draft choices. He collects them like some people collect bobbleheads.

 

Let's be clear about one thing: The arrival of Travis Henry does not make the Titans a playoff team. Far from it. With or without Henry, this team is still closer to 5-11 than it is 11-5.

 

In order to attain significant upward mobility in the AFC South, the Titans need an otherworldly year out of Steve McNair, a Pro Bowl season out of Albert Haynesworth and maybe even a keeping-his-nose-clean six months from top draft pick Pacman Jones.

 

Would you settle for two out of three?

 

The guy looking over his shoulder right now is Chris Brown. Nobody disputes his talent, but his durability remains very much in question. Anybody who can break his hand during non-contact drills is injury-prone, no matter how much he resents the characterization.

 

But this is not necessarily an either/or situation for Brown and Henry. Unlike the circumstances in Buffalo, the Titans' backfield may be big enough for both of them.

 

Last year, there were plenty of carries to go around for both Brown and replacement-part back Antowain Smith. And with two distinctively different running styles, Brown and Henry can wear on opposing defenses.

 

Too, don't underestimate the input of new offensive coordinator Norm Chow in the consummation of this trade. After taking a pass on a wide receiver in the first round of the draft, Titans Coach Jeff Fisher seems determined to give Chow as many offensive weapons as possible.

 

At Southern Cal and BYU before that, Chow often used two-back sets. He does not need a true fullback. His X's and O's are flexible enough to make room for both Brown and Henry, at least for a handful of plays per game.

 

So say hello to Travis Henry. By acquiring a quality running back, the Titans have made it clear they're not turning their backs on the upcoming season. •

[CaptainHook]

The guy looking over his shoulder right now is Chris Brown. Nobody disputes his talent, but his durability remains very much in question. Anybody who can break his hand during non-contact drills is injury-prone, no matter how much he resents the characterization.

 

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[Randall]

Yes but Henry is probably only an average RB that plays hard and tough. He will not supplant Chris Brown when both are healthy, but he will have a good shot at playing time with Brown being so injury prone.

 

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Tough is an understatement.