Browns should be buyers if Titans want to trade Derrick Henry | Jeff Schudel
Oct. 28—The roster moves the Browns made ahead of their Oct. 29 game with the Seahawks reflects the precarious situation of the team as the NFL trade deadline draws closer.
Starting running back Jerome Ford and starting left tackle Jedrick Wills are battling ankle injuries. Both are listed as questionable for the 4:05 p.m. kickoff at Lumen Field in Seattle. Just in case either or both players cannot play, the Browns on Oct. 28 elevated offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe and running back Jordan Wilkins to the active roster from the practice squad.
The Browns have been without star running back Nick Chubb since he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the season. Losing their best offensive player was a major blow, but despite that the Browns are 4-2 and a half-game behind the Ravens for first place in the AFC North. Ford, Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong are more suited as backups than starters.
Fending off the Bengals (3-3), beating out the Steelers (also 4-2) and overtaking the 5-2 Ravens will not be easy without a true No. 1 running back. To that end, the Browns have been connected to acquiring Derrick Henry from the Tennessee Titans before the 4 p.m. Oct. 31 trade deadline.
The Ravens and Cowboys are also linked to Henry in trade rumors.
The Titans are 2-4. They are notoriously slow starters and usually finish strong to make a playoff run. But this year might be different. Tennessee already traded veteran safety Kevin Byard to the Eagles, and starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill has an ankle injury that will prevent him from playing in the Titans' game with the Falcons on Oct. 29. The Titans might decide it is time for a major rebuild if they fall to 2-5. Henry, with 425 rushing yards on 98 carries, is one of their best trade assets.
A bidding war with the Browns, Ravens and Cowboys all trying to pry Henry away would be exactly what the Titans want. The Browns would want to acquire him not only to make their team better, but to keep him away from Baltimore. The Ravens would look at a trade in the same way from their perspective.
Henry is in his eighth season in the league, all with the Titans, and is making $10.5 million in the final year of his contract. He rushed for 1,538 yards last season and 2,027 yards in 2020.
The Browns or any team acquiring Henry might be able to get him for a third-round pick. The Browns don't have a first-round pick in 2024 because they traded it to Houston as partial payment for Deshaun Watson, but they do have their own second, third and fourth-round picks.
Watson has been ruled out for the game with the Seahawks because of lingering problems from a shoulder injury suffered Sept. 24 in the game with the Titans. The Browns held Henry to 20 yards on 11 carries in that game.
P.J. Walker will start for the Browns against the Seahawks. The Browns beat the 49ers and Colts with Walker at the helm.
Neither Watson nor the Browns know when Watson will play again. The trade deadline will pass less than 48 hours after the game in Seattle ends.
Acquiring Henry would make the Browns instantly better no matter who the quarterback is.
BROWNS AT SEAHAWKS
When: 4:05 p.m., Oct. 29
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle
Records: Browns 4-2, Seattle 4-2
TV: WJW; Radio: WKRK-FM 92.3, WNCX-FM 98.5, WKNR-AM 850
