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Spotlight - RB Chris Brown, Tennessee Titans

Posted on 7/20, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Mike Brown's Thoughts

The Tennessee backfield situation heading into 2007 looks an awful lot like the Tennessee backfield situation heading into 2006. Replace a Travis with a Chris, in fact, and it's identical.

Travis Henry came from the back of the pack last season to take over the starting RB job for the Titans and never let go. He put up excellent numbers to bypass the constantly injured Chris Brown and the slow to get started LenDale White. Both White and Brown were thought to have a significant edge on Henry for the starting gig, but that just goes to show that it's tough to know exactly how a situation is going to play out.

During the offseason, Henry was signed away from the Titans by a lucrative offer to become the Denver Broncos featured back. The Titans responded to that by drafting Chris Henry in the second round of April's draft. Some said that was somewhat of a reach for a player with Henry's limited experience, but the Titans felt they had a hole that needed to be filled and did it. After that, they went out and re-signed Chris Brown, who found the open market not quite as lucrative as he may have expected. Tennessee now goes into 2006 with two of the three main backs from last year still in the mix and it's just as difficult to figure out what it all means this time around.

Most observers are split on White versus Brown here. There are very few people who feel that Chris Henry is ready to take over the reins on a regular basis for an NFL team. I completely agree with that sentiment, and I see any contributions made by Henry being minimal and not during the crucial moments of the game. He is more a player to look at in dynasty league setups, because he's not quite there yet for this level.

As for Brown, his signing was intriguing in that we don't really know why it was made. Was it because the team didn't feel comfortable with Chris Henry as the backup? Or was it because they weren't comfortable with LenDale White as the starter? Then again, was it simply a motivational ploy to spark White into getting in shape? Any of the above could conceivably be true, and at this point before camp it's all but impossible to figure out.

You could ask me who will get the lion's share of the carries at four random points between now and the end of training camp, and I could end up changing my mind four times. But right now, and the position I have a feeling I'll be feeling more and more confident on, is that LenDale White will be the guy to own out of this group.

I just cannot get on board with relying on Chris Brown to make it through the season unscathed. Hopefully, White has gotten the message with the Brown signing and knows that even though he's just a second year guy, he doesn't have a ton of chances here. He has done nothing but anger and aggravate his team since entering the league, and he needs to show something soon (as in, this August) if he wants to be an impact player in the NFL any time soon.

Positives

• The talent seems to be there for Brown. Despite not really lighting up the stat sheet when he's been in the game, there is a reason the Titans made him a third round pick in 2003 to be their RB of the future.
• His only competition for playing time are LenDale White and Chris Henry, two players who have proved absolutely nothing at the NFL level.
• Despite having White (a former first rounder) and Henry (a second rounder this year) already on the roster, the Titans made a concerted effort to re-sign Brown when they could.

Negatives

• Brown wasn't really in high demand when he hit the open market. Several teams offered lukewarm interest, but despite a need for a RB they chose to stay away.
• Brown's injury history is clearly his most significant hurdle to overcome. He has developed an injury prone tag during his short stay in the league that has never been shaken.
• Aside from his breakout year two, Brown really hasn't been all that impressive running the football. His per carry averages on a yearly basis aside from 2004 are as follows: 3.9, 3.8, 3.8.

Final Thoughts

White is the most talented of the three, seems to be the most durable (if he can avoid the nagging, weight-related issues), and as the team's first round pick a year ago, they have the most invested in him. And don't think for a minute that that won't weigh heavily into the decision if he looks like he's even close to ready to be "the guy".

The other two players, Brown and Henry, will have specific roles on the team because each brings certain skills that White doesn't possess. But with all the love Chris Brown has been getting early on this summer, I can't help but feel that the time is now right to get some value on White. Since a very good eleven game stretch three years ago, Brown hasn't done any more than White as an NFL back.

Quotations from the Message Board Thread

sholditch:
Hmm, I'll take a shot. Brown should start but Chow really likes Lendale and I think it would be folly not to expect his carries to come up from last year. I think at the very least they are going to try and groom White into their short-yardage/GL back, which means that he could see his TD totals get to the 7-10 range. But first Brown. He is an incredibly fast, shifty runner with really no power game. He runs upright which limits his time on the field by causing small injuries. I think he will get the majority of the carries but Tennessee already decided he wasn't their guy last year and he is obviously only a stopgap solution there.

waylander:
Someone is going to be able to duplicate [Travis Henry's] production if not exceed it. The question is who? Or will it be between two or three of them? My money is on Lendale. I know that's not the popular pick, but the fact is he played well enough last year to warrant more carries. Question his work ethic all you want, but White is a gamer, and come Sunday's he'll be getting the rock and doing well with it.

Maybe some of you saw a lean and buff Lendale in college, but I saw the same puffy kid that I seen last year and at this years OTA's, and saying he was productive at USC is just an understatement.

redman:
This is easily the most unsettled RB situation in the NFL, which is bizarre when you recall that the coaching staff and the top two contenders are all returning from last year. I generally think Brown will lead the team in carries/receptions and yards (especially receiving yards), while Lendale White will trail him in yardage by at least 200-300 yards but will lead in TD's as the short yardage runner. IMHO Henry is more of a special teamer/project who is going to operate more as insurance for 2008 if Brown leaves in FA and the fears about White's work ethic and conditioning seem to be confirmed this year. He'll get a handful of receptions and carries, but not much more barring injury.

Chris Brown Projections