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T. Henry (1 Viewer)

CSH

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I heard this on ESPN radio (Colin Cowheard Show) this morning. He was interviewing another sports talk radio guy from Buffalo and this guy mentioned that Henry could be trade bait to move up on draft day to either take Big Ben or a top WR. He stated that Bills coaches feel confident that McGahee is at full strength and had an excellent performance at their first minicamp. This is just info I heard from the radio show, so take it for what's worth. Hopefully someone can confirm that they heard it also, to make this post more legit.

 
Seems to me people have been speculating this for a while but until it happens I tend to side with the other opinion, which is that the Bills will hold on to both backs until McGahee proves that he can take the pounding of a full work load and that he is psychologically ready to play again. The Bills would be taking a fairly huge risk in dealing Henry, but I guess if it can help them nab another franchise player it might be worth it. Who could they trade with though? Detroit? I doubt Roethlisberger will even be available at that pick...

 
The best part about Henry outside of his NFL talent is his contract. Cheap cheap cheap.

 
Could he be traded? Certainly makes sense on a few levels. One, he's got two years left on his deal but is openly uphappy about the Bills' failure to offer him a new deal (which was further exacerbated by the selection of McGahee). An acquiring team would almost certainly be willing to redo his deal as part of the trade.But you need to ask yourself which teams that high up in the draft are in dire need of a veteran RB, AND would be willing to move down a handful of slots in the process?

 
I haven't heard this rumor, BUT...Detroit could conceivably trade down from 6 to 13 and still get Udeze, who they apparently like a bit.Buffalo would be in a position to get Roy or Mike WIlliams.Just a thought.COlin

 
If I was the Raiders, I would offer the #2 for him in a heartbeat. I would have to Get Henry and a 2nd rounder for the #2 Pick, and he would have to agree to a contract extension before the deal. He is 2X's the back Dillion is.

 
If you ask me, Buf. should look to trade down with Henry if anything. Going up to get Ben will cost them too much IMO. They could move down with Den., Dal., NE and pick up their 1st and whatever else the deal includes. Then at 1 of those spots take Rivers, the more realistic option.

 
I would have to believe there is some truth to this, but I won't believe any hype in regards to Buffalo feeling obliged to move Henry.Any club that has two solid backs would be borderline insane not to entertain offers from other clubs. A James Thrash for Travis Henry is a terrible offer while Henry for two #1s is a more than generous offer. I believe somewhere in between those two scenarios there would be an offer to which Buffalo would take, and as I said, they would be borderline insane to not go fishing.

 
I guess I could see Oakland making such a deal, as they need a franchise RB in a bad way and could still get a quality player with the Bills' pick at #13... Arizona might be a possibility I suppose, if Green is in love with Henry and sees him as a substantial upgrade over Shipp...I guess if Buffalo could deal the 13 and Hnery for Oakland's #2 they would be idiots NOT to deal, wouldn't they? They would have their choice of any but one of Manning, Ben, Gallery, Fitz, or Roy Williams and could make a HUGE improvement to their squad. Can you imagine a healthy McGahee running behind a line featuring Robert Gallery? Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard...

 
But you need to ask yourself which teams that high up in the draft are in dire need of a veteran RB, AND would be willing to move down a handful of slots in the process?
My first thought was Detroit, if Taylor or Winslow wasn't there. They could pickup Henry and draft another need with the Buffalo pick. Or how about Oakland? Could be too big of a drop for Oakland, but Henry could be a younger and cheaper option for Norv Turner's offense than Dillon. Just my first thoughts on it.
 
so many rumors, but...as a henry owner, i would love to see him get a chance somewhere without a 1st rounder breathing down his neck. my only concern is that henry's contract is sooo cheap for buf, that they will want a lot from any team that wants him

 
so many rumors, but...as a henry owner, i would love to see him get a chance somewhere without a 1st rounder breathing down his neck. my only concern is that henry's contract is sooo cheap for buf, that they will want a lot from any team that wants him
To turn it around, Henry's contract is so attractive that other teams might be willing to give up more to acquire him.:mcgaheeowner:
 
Doesnt anyone want to see if McGahee can play a down in the NFL before Buffalo trades away their only proven running back?

 
Buffalo should try to trade him. I don't think there is anything special about Henry. He put up stats because he had opportunities to do so. And he had quite a bit of them. Buffalo would keep giving him the ball no matter how pathetic their running game was that day. When I break down Henry's running style and his talent I really don't see a stud RB or a top 10 back based on talent and skills. I think he's a slighty above average running back who just got the right opportunity.

 
I guess I'm one of the few that thinks Buffalo would be stupid to give away a 1300+ yard rusher with a very favorable contract so they can start a guy who had a serious knee injury a little over a year ago who has never played a down in the NFL and not have a legitimate backup option to him.

 
I would love to see dallas give up there 1st round pick for henry. Dallas would get their RB and I own Mcgahee in a dynasty league. Looks like its a win-win situation for me :thumbup:

 
Personally I think Henry is quite a bit better than slightly above average... He is tought o tackle and chews up the field pretty nicely. His main flaw IMO is that he NEVER breaks off a big run. I think last year was the first time he had ever busted off a run of more than 20 yards. He is a quality ball control back but he is not a big time play maker. Plus he fumbles, something I understand McGahee almost never does. He has some character concerns as well, which I think factored in to the Bills' decision to draft WM in the first place. I think Henry will do well no matter where he ends up. He is not Olandis Gary.If Buffalo wanted to go this route they would have to draft another RB in case WM doesn't work out. If they could trade up, get Gallery or their next franchise QB, and then pick up a Cedric Cobbs or Mewelde Moore or something in the middle rounds (not to mention a decent WR in the second), their team would be vastly improved. There is a lot of quality at the top of this draft that seems to make the gamble worth at least investigating...

 
Doesnt anyone want to see if McGahee can play a down in the NFL before Buffalo trades away their only proven running back?
Not really. People act like his knee injury took his talent and ability away. What is being so easily forgotten is that McGahee was a RIDICULOUSLY good running back in college; running, receiving, blocking, breaking tackles, everything. If he's running in mini-camp and workouts and Buffalo's coaches and trainers truly feel that he looks every bit as good as they expected and his knee is sound, there isn't a huge advantage in waiting until the season begins.More specifically: If they wait until McGahee plays in an NFL game, then that means Henry and the very friendly 2 years left on his contract will be with the team for the entire season. Considering how deep the WR class is this year, combined with the fact that Buffalo is more then a player or two from being competitive in a very good division, I say 'why wait?' if the plan is to get rid of Henry to upgrade other areas eventually anyway.Colin
 
And slightly above average running backs are easy to come by in the NFL? What happens to Buffalo if McGahee Deshawn Fosters his knee jogging out to practice? Hope that Terry Allen is still in shape or beg someone to trade you Travis Prentiss? You dont let go of quality RBs, especially when the only replacement has yet to play a down in the NFL and is coming off a serious injury.

 
You dont let go of quality RBs, especially when the only replacement has yet to play a down in the NFL and is coming off a serious injury.
Not even if it could net you the next Peyton Manning or Orlando Pace? I think you have to at least think about it...
 
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Not really. People act like his knee injury took his talent and ability away. What is being so easily forgotten is that McGahee was a RIDICULOUSLY good running back in college; running, receiving, blocking, breaking tackles, everything
How many ridiculously good RBs have flopped in the NFL? It does happen. How many have had serious knee injuries before they play a down? One of the other is perhaps a reasonable roll of the dice, but this guy hasnt proved a thing yet. Plus chances are it will be another year until he's back to 100% of whatever he's gonna end up being. Buffalo would be gambling at least an entire season on everything coming up Milhouse with McGahee. Moreso because if he reinjures they will have to start from scratch at RB.
 
Buffalo should try to trade him. I don't think there is anything special about Henry. He put up stats because he had opportunities to do so. And he had quite a bit of them. Buffalo would keep giving him the ball no matter how pathetic their running game was that day. When I break down Henry's running style and his talent I really don't see a stud RB or a top 10 back based on talent and skills. I think he's a slighty above average running back who just got the right opportunity.
Boy that makes sense he was given opportunity on a team that passed the ball 66% of the time. :rolleyes:
 
Not even if it could net you the next Peyton Manning or Orlando Pace? I think you have to at least think about it...
Or the next Ryan Leaf or Curtis Enis. Henry is a known quantity. there is no such thing as that in the NFL draft (although Gallery is pretty damn close I admit). If they want to rebuild, fine rebuild, but realize thats what is happening.
 
How many ridiculously good RBs have flopped in the NFL? It does happen. How many have had serious knee injuries before they play a down? One of the other is perhaps a reasonable roll of the dice, but this guy hasnt proved a thing yet. Plus chances are it will be another year until he's back to 100% of whatever he's gonna end up being. Buffalo would be gambling at least an entire season on everything coming up Milhouse with McGahee. Moreso because if he reinjures they will have to start from scratch at RB.
Handling a first round running back with kid gloves is a mistake. Henry's contract is friendly enought that keeping him around is not the end of the world. But Buffalo needs impact players ON THE FIELD, not backing up the running back. Funny, I don't here anyone saying that Cincy needs to hang on to Dillon because Rudy might fall/get hurt...Colin
 
Interesting rumor but I don't see that happening. Being a Bills fan I hope I am correct. Here are a few reasons why I don't think it will happen:Salary Cap - Moving into the top 5 means a huge contract for an unproven talent.The Bills have several players(Schoebel, Clements, Jonas Jennings) that are in the last year of their contracts.The Bills need cap room to get these players signed and paying big bucks to a rookie will make that more difficult.Running Back depth - The Bills did not resign Sammy Morris so trading Henry would leave them with Joe Burns backingup an unproven McGahee. What veteran running backs are available to back up Willis- James Stewart or Zeroue? This trade would gut what may be the strongest part of the team.History - Donahoe is not afraid to pull the trigger on a trade but historically he moves backward and accumulates more picks. Quality - The Bills need a WR and QB out of this draft. There are quality prospects at both positions that will be available in the 2nd or 3rd round. I think the Bills will sit tight and take the best players that fall to them.IF Mcgahee proves he can shoulder the load this year than I see the Bills looking to trade Henry next year.

 
And slightly above average running backs are easy to come by in the NFL? What happens to Buffalo if McGahee Deshawn Fosters his knee jogging out to practice? Hope that Terry Allen is still in shape or beg someone to trade you Travis Prentiss? You dont let go of quality RBs, especially when the only replacement has yet to play a down in the NFL and is coming off a serious injury.
Well this is the main reason I say Buf. should trade down if they deal Henry. This would give them 2 1st rd. picks. They can address QB very easily with Rivers (assuming Pitt doesn't take him at 11, which I doubt they will) and get a top tier WR (or whatever else they may be targeting) in the middle of the 1st. They could very easily find a suitable back-up RB in the 2nd or 3rd rd after that.
 
To me it comes down to the health of McGahee not whether he is capable of running the football. If Buffalo feels full confident that McGahee can shoulder the load of a full NFL seaon, then I think it woul be in their best interest to trade Henry now rather than later and get max value for him with two years left on his contract. That is very attractive to the team receiving him.If Buffalo trades him and can get either their QB of the future, LT of the future, or WR of the future, then I say do it and then draft a RB in the 3rd or 4th round that may have some promise. Capable starting RB's can be found anywhere in the draft nowadays. If Buffalo waits, Henry will be a year older and there will be one more year off of his cheap contract and that will not be as attractive as it is now. Plus if McGahee shows true superstar production, then teams will know that Henry is not as needed for Buffalo and will lower their price. Ultimately, if Buffalo tries to trade Henry next year, then they are not going to get the value he has now. Buffalo will have to make a hard decision in the upcoming weeks.

 
But Buffalo needs impact players ON THE FIELD, not backing up the running back.
I agree, but Im not the one that burned a first round draft pick on McGahee.
Funny, I don't here anyone saying that Cincy needs to hang on to Dillon because Rudy might fall/get hurt
Maybe because Rudi has played at a high level in the NFL for at least a short time. Or maybe because the Bengals have Kenny Watson backing him up who has also shown some talent in his short career. And maybe also because Johnson isnt coming directly off a devastating injury.A better, if still incomplete, example would be Corell Buckhalter. What would have happened to the Iggles last year had they dumped Staley and Westbrook assuming Buckhalter would be the stud they expected him to be? Disaster thats what.
 
Or the next Ryan Leaf or Curtis Enis. Henry is a known quantity. there is no such thing as that in the NFL draft (although Gallery is pretty damn close I admit). If they want to rebuild, fine rebuild, but realize thats what is happening.
I don't see how trading in a piece you have one too many of (ie RB) for one that you really need (ie, LT, QB, or WR) constitutes rebuilding. If McGahee busts then the Bills are indeed left without a RB but they have still improved their team dramatically at another position... To me, if you think that you need a tackle or a quarterback or a WR, and you like the prospects at the top of this year's draft better than those likely to come out next year, you make this deal if you can... If you need a RB next season there will be one available in the first or second round that will do nicely but there is NOT going to be a Manning, Gallery, or Fitzgerald in next year's draft as far as anyone can tell right now. To me that is the deciding factor. You talk about bird in the hand; I say the same thing -- take what you can get now and run with it...
 
Or maybe because the Bengals have Kenny Watson backing him up who has also shown some talent in his short career.
Surely you're not saying that Buffalo can't sign or draft a back as good as Ken Watson. The lack of a backup really isn't a problem at the end of a day. They can find somebody.
 
Maybe because Rudi has played at a high level in the NFL for at least a short time. Or maybe because the Bengals have Kenny Watson backing him up who has also shown some talent in his short career. And maybe also because Johnson isnt coming directly off a devastating injury.A better, if still incomplete, example would be Corell Buckhalter. What would have happened to the Iggles last year had they dumped Staley and Westbrook assuming Buckhalter would be the stud they expected him to be? Disaster thats what.
I disagree with pretty much everything in this post. Rudi has played well, but the crux of the original argument was that if you have depth at RB, you don't trade it. Dillon and Johnson would be tremendous depth. Secondly, I would argue that more then a couple available RBs have shown every bit as much talent as Watson in their careers as well (James Stewart for one). Finally, Correll Buckhalter had a nice year last year putting up 4.3 ypc in the regular season and 8 TDs. I see your point for sure, that having both is a luxury, but now that the team has had a year to evaluate McGahee's injury and ability, if they feel he can carry the load now, I just don't see the advantage in waiting. Colin
 
It's funny that mbuehner mentioned Buckhalter, I was thinking that the Bills could trade Henry and then offer a contract to Buckhalter for I believe 4th round compensation. That would give the Bills aproven backup for a 4th rounder. Just a thought.

 
If McGahee busts then the Bills are indeed left without a RB but they have still improved their team dramatically at another position
Um, you can have the best left tackle on the planet but without a running back to block for he's pretty useless. RB is probably the most critical position on the field to at least be competant in. You can get by with a crappy QB by altering your system. I dont know of any system short of the empty backfield that get you by without a running back. Running the football wins games.
 
Um, you can have the best left tackle on the planet but without a running back to block for he's pretty useless. RB is probably the most critical position on the field to at least be competant in. You can get by with a crappy QB by altering your system. I dont know of any system short of the empty backfield that get you by without a running back. Running the football wins games.
So, how did the Patriots dominate the league this year? It sure wasnt' their running game...Colin
 
A better, if still incomplete, example would be Corell Buckhalter. What would have happened to the Iggles last year had they dumped Staley and Westbrook assuming Buckhalter would be the stud they expected him to be? Disaster thats what.
Westbrook hadn't proven squat yet, so you can say trade Duce, but they probably could have kept Westbrook and still had a fair analogy. Then again, you never know what might have happened. Maybe if they hadn't kept flipping around between 3 running backs (and not actually running with any of them), things would have worked out differently and they might have won the superbowl. Who knows.

Plus, I think it's fair to say that philly fans already consider last season's end result pretty close to a disaster anyway, so what's the difference.

 
I disagree with pretty much everything in this post. Rudi has played well, but the crux of the original argument was that if you have depth at RB, you don't trade it.
No, thats not the crux of my argument. The crux of my argument is that without Henry they have no proven running back, much less depth. You have to have something reliable to fall back on. McGahee is by no means on the level with Rudi Johnson right now. Case in point see where each get drafted in your fantasy leagues.
"Secondly, I would argue that more then a couple available RBs have shown every bit as much talent as Watson in their careers as well (James Stewart for one). "
If they can afford him, if he still has gas in the tank. If Buffalo manages to sign a reasonable backup, I drop my argument. Until they do theyre walking the tight rope without a net.
"Finally, Correll Buckhalter had a nice year last year putting up 4.3 ypc in the regular season and 8 TDs. "
Could he have carried the Eagles? If so why didnt he?
I see your point for sure, that having both is a luxury, but now that the team has had a year to evaluate McGahee's injury and ability, if they feel he can carry the load now, I just don't see the advantage in waiting.
What year? The guy hasnt played a down. How many times have we heard that i guy coming off a major injury is ready to go but somehow that doesnt happen?
 
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Um, you can have the best left tackle on the planet but without a running back to block for he's pretty useless. RB is probably the most critical position on the field to at least be competant in. You can get by with a crappy QB by altering your system. I dont know of any system short of the empty backfield that get you by without a running back. Running the football wins games.
Where to begin?1) You can win without a great running back. The Patriots did OK in the last three years.2) You cannot have a great offense without a great LT. It is more important than a great quarterback, and much more important than a great running back. There is a reason guys like Orlando Pace and Robert Gallery go #1 overall or thereabouts, and only truly outstanding, HOF-caliber RB's go that high. You'll note that four of the top fiveRB's (Green, Priest, Portis, Jamal) run behind great lines, and Alexander runs behind a quite good one too. LT2 is the only exception.
 
Um, you can have the best left tackle on the planet but without a running back to block for he's pretty useless. RB is probably the most critical position on the field to at least be competant in. You can get by with a crappy QB by altering your system. I dont know of any system short of the empty backfield that get you by without a running back. Running the football wins games.
I agree to an extent but my point is that you can get a decent RB in almost any draft, whereas an all-world left tackle comes around once every few years, if that. If the Bills ended up with Gallery and a gimpy McGahee, they would still be in better shape overall next year after they draft Cedric Benson in the first. Long term, this is the year to trade Henry IMO...
 
No, thats not the crux of my argument. The crux of my argument is that without Henry they have no proven running back, much less depth.  You have to have something reliable to fall back on. McGahee is by no means on the level with Rudi Johnson right now. Case in point see where each get drafted in your fantasy leagues.
Yes, Henry is proven to be pretty good, not spectacular. You cannot argue that Henry is a game-breaker at RB like Portis, Tomlinson, Green, Priest. McGahee may well be (and neither you or I know for sure, but the Buffalo coaching staff knows better than anybody). The reason that McGahee is drafted below RJ in fantasy leagues is because his situation is clouded. NFL draft position is an obviously better proxy for perceived talent than fantasy drafts, and you'll note that McGahee went pretty high.Obviously, they are taking on some risk by letting Henry go. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The point is that a) the downside isn't that bad; I for one believe that even if McGahee is in Edge-post-ACL-season-one form, he isn't much of a dropdown from Henry. Henry is good, but he's just not that good. and b) the value of picking up an extra draft pick or two, or trading up a lot in the first round, is quite large.

 
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man, I step away for a little bit and all hell breaks lose.This is not going to happen. It's not even worth discussing, IMO.McGahee is 15 months post surgery after shredding 3 ligaments in his knee. Asking him to be the feature back would be putting way too much pressure on him and also too much strain on that knee. It's much more reasonable to work him into things more slowly while letting Henry still be the workhorse. Then, with both still under contract, you can look to make a deal next summer.As someone else mentioned, Tom Donahoe does not have a history of trading up in the draft. He almost always looks to move down and acquire more picks because he doesn't lock himself into one or two particular players. He is the prototypical BPA GM, and that was the main reason why McGahee is a Bill today.The Bills are going to be a power running team, similar to what the Steelers were like when Donahoe was there. They NEED 2 quality RBs, and they have that. It is crazy to give up a young Pro Bowl RB in order to move up to select a player who could flop and who will throw your salary cap out of whack, preventing you from extending 1 or more of your key players that will be free agents in 2005.The Bills do not need a WR that badly in order to jeapordize the one strength on their team right now - the running game. This is not Kevin Gilbride's offense anymore. Moulds/Reed/Shaw and a speed WR that will be added in the draft, will be more than adequate for Mularkey/Clements offense.I agree the Bills need a young QB badly, but they are pretty confident that Drew will succeed given all the pieces that they are putting in place right now. Trading up for Big Ben would mean that Drew is basically 1 and done in Buffalo, and I don't see that happening. One of the reasons Mularkey got the job in the first place was because he had a specific plan for how he was going to win with Bledsoe. Donahoe wants to keep Bledsoe around...they just want a young QB to groom behind him so that they are in good shape if he bombs again.This rumor, although tempting and seemingly logical to non-Bills fans, really doesn't make sense from the Bills perspective. The Bills do feel good about McGahee's chances, but they are not going to put the hopes of the franchise soley on his reconstructed knee just yet. This team is going to be competitive this year, and Henry is going to be a huge part of that.

 
So, how did the Patriots dominate the league this year? It sure wasnt' their running game...
Ok, lets straighten something out. There's a difference between having a run based offense and being able to run the ball. New ENgland could run the ball when they needed to. The 'when you need to' factor is obvioulsy very dependant on your offensive effectiveness. NE was extremely effective passing the ball, which was their forte. Now if they has no threat at rushing that passing game would have been in trouble, but in fact they could run the ball when necessary.Buffalo doesnt have such an efficient offense. If they cant run the ball their passing game is going to suffer badly and hence the whole team falls apart. Like I said, unless they sign a reliable backup this move would be nutty.
 
Ok, lets straighten something out. There's a difference between having a run based offense and being able to run the ball. New ENgland could run the ball when they needed to. The 'when you need to' factor is obvioulsy very dependant on your offensive effectiveness. NE was extremely effective passing the ball, which was their forte. Now if they has no threat at rushing that passing game would have been in trouble, but in fact they could run the ball when necessary.Buffalo doesnt have such an efficient offense. If they cant run the ball their passing game is going to suffer badly and hence the whole team falls apart. Like I said, unless they sign a reliable backup this move would be nutty.
Hang on. This discussion is getting difficult to have because the definitions keep changing. You just finished saying that "running the football wins games". I pointed out that the Patriots - who finished 27th in rush yards - won the Super Bowl, so now you say "they could run it when they needed to." What gives?Colin
 
1) You can win without a great running back. The Patriots did OK in the last three years.2) You cannot have a great offense without a great LT
So Matt Light is a great left tackle? Plus he was a second round draft pick so it doesnt really apply.
 
You just finished saying that "running the football wins games". I pointed out that the Patriots - who finished 27th in rush yards - won the Super Bowl, so now you say "they could run it when they needed to."
Ok, I thought I was clarifying. Ill try again.Being able to run the football with some success wins games. The Patriots did that. Teams like the Chicago did not, with telling results. If is possible to have a successful offense that passes more than it runs, but when it does run it better be effective to some degree. Relying on essentially an unproven rookie coming off an injury is a dangerous game. You could end up utterly unable to run the football. If you have a totally one dimensional game you are screwed. New ENgland was never one dimensional.
 
Surely you're not saying that Buffalo can't sign or draft a back as good as Ken Watson. The lack of a backup really isn't a problem at the end of a day. They can find somebody.
Unless you are the Detriot Lions.
 
:thumbup: Am I taking crazy pills or every single year are there not a least a couple teams in the league that simply cant run the ball? The Bears, The Lions, The Cardinals, The Steelers. How'd those teams make out last year?
 
So Matt Light is a great left tackle? Plus he was a second round draft pick so it doesnt really apply.
I don't really know anything about Matt Light, but it's beside the point since the Patriots do not have a great offense.I will also submit that it is possible to have a great offense without a great LT (I don't know of any, but there may be some), but LT is the surest, easiest way to build one.
 
Being able to run the football with some success wins games. The Patriots did that. Teams like the Chicago did not, with telling results.
You have officially lost me. Chicago had more rush yards then New England and more Rush TDs.....Colin
 

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