It might be the dumbest career move in NFL history.
In a span of 365 days, Travis Henry went from leading the league in rushing to stuck in jail, awaiting federal charges of drug dealing.
In a sad tale of cocaine bricks and rocks in the brain, Henry has made the Broncos look like fools and cheated every Denver football fan who ever cheered for him.
On Oct. 1, 2007, Henry had 433 rushing yards to his name after four games in a Broncos uniform.
Almost exactly a year later, Henry was running from the law through a Denver suburb, accused of carrying a duffel bag filled with cocaine valued at $100,000, according to an arrest- warrant affidavit.
While Henry’s legal woes are no longer the Broncos’ responsibility, the current inconsistency in the team’s running game can be traced to the five-year, $22.5 million contract risked on a player who arrived in Denver with considerable baggage.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan messed up. He trusted Henry, going so far as to stand up for him when the NFL office sought to suspend the tailback last autumn for an alleged violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy. While Henry beat that rap, he would soon prove the team’s faith was sadly misplaced.
Henry betrayed the loyalty of Shanahan. After a lone season with the Broncos, Henry was cut in June by a coach angered by the veteran player’s lack of commitment to offseason workouts.
Hindered by a defense that cannot seem to get off the field, it would be nice if the Broncos could strike quickly with dangerous passes from quarterback Jay Cutler, and also run the scoreboard clock to protect a lead with a move-the-chains tailback.
This is a franchise whose runs to league championships were carried on the broad shoulders of Terrell Davis, and for all the razzle-dazzle genius of Shana- han, his offensive philosophy has been well-grounded in a punishing rushing attack.
The Broncos, however, have failed to produce a 100-yard rusher in 10 of their past 11 games, a stretch in which the team’s record is an unremarkable 6-5. Blame injuries that plagued the offensive line throughout 2007, if you want, because there’s merit to the claim.
It’s also apparent that while Selvin Young can slash for a big gain and Andre Hall is 212 pounds of true grit, either player would be miscast in a role carrying the ball 25 times a game on a regular basis. If the Broncos want more muscle to soften foes, it might be a good idea to expand the role of Michael Pittman, who has been a beast in short-yardage situations.
The bottom line? Although Henry is gone from Dove Valley, the fact he dropped the ball will continue to hurt the Broncos.
Shanahan, however, deserves credit for taking more care not to get fooled again.
There are signs the embarrassment caused the Broncos by players such as Henry and former punter Todd Sauerbrun has influenced the way the team conducts its business.
One of the happiest stories of this young season has been the overnight, stadium-rocking, game-changing success of Broncos rookie Eddie Royal. Denver took him in the second round, passing on California receiver DeSean Jackson, whose undeniable talent was tainted by fears of me-first character flaws.
Although the legal system faces the burden of proving Henry’s guilt, he long ago seemed hopelessly lost on a personal level. From fathering children out of wedlock to getting busted for smoking marijuana, Henry has a bad habit of stupidity that appears beyond easy reform.
Let’s hope the Broncos have learned their hard lesson.
An NFL team is such a big business it cannot afford to serve as a reform school for athletes afflicted with a chronic refusal to play by the rules.
Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com
