Kerr
03-13-2005, 11:11 PM
Lenny P:
• With premier backs such as James and Alexander now available at reduced prices, how are some of the other teams dangling tailbacks as trade bait likely to fare? Uh, probably not too well. The Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) still haven't gotten a viable offer for two-time 1,000-yard rusher Travis Henry (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5505). The efforts by Denver and Cleveland to trade Reuben Droughns (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5110) and William Green (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5902), respectively, appear dead in the water. Even in free agency, the market for unrestricted players such as Anthony Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485), a onetime offensive rookie of the year, has been sluggish. As noted last week, the Bills aren't just going to give Henry away. But general manager Tom Donahoe, who had hoped to squeeze a second-round pick out of a team trying to upgrade at tailback, might have to either lower his expectations or get creative. One possibility is swapping Henry for a conditional fourth-round pick that would improve to a second-rounder if he rushed for 1,000 yards.
We'll have to keep an eye out for Arizona and Indy. Arizona might or might not draft a running back in the 1st round. Indy might trade James to Arizona or another team. We've still got a shot of dealing Henry for something in return this year.
• With premier backs such as James and Alexander now available at reduced prices, how are some of the other teams dangling tailbacks as trade bait likely to fare? Uh, probably not too well. The Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) still haven't gotten a viable offer for two-time 1,000-yard rusher Travis Henry (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5505). The efforts by Denver and Cleveland to trade Reuben Droughns (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5110) and William Green (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5902), respectively, appear dead in the water. Even in free agency, the market for unrestricted players such as Anthony Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5485), a onetime offensive rookie of the year, has been sluggish. As noted last week, the Bills aren't just going to give Henry away. But general manager Tom Donahoe, who had hoped to squeeze a second-round pick out of a team trying to upgrade at tailback, might have to either lower his expectations or get creative. One possibility is swapping Henry for a conditional fourth-round pick that would improve to a second-rounder if he rushed for 1,000 yards.
We'll have to keep an eye out for Arizona and Indy. Arizona might or might not draft a running back in the 1st round. Indy might trade James to Arizona or another team. We've still got a shot of dealing Henry for something in return this year.