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As the Miami Herald framed it Tuesday morning: "The last thing Travis Henry wanted was another season in Willis McGahee's shadow in Buffalo. The last thing the Bills wanted was the distraction of a disgruntled player."

That potential distraction evaporated on Monday when Bills president Tom Donahoe announced he traded Henry to the Tennessee Titans for a third-round pick in next year's draft.

The deal ends a standoff between the team and player after Henry vowed not to play the final year of his contract with Buffalo next season. Henry, the Bills' former starter, did not attend the team's mini-camp sessions this spring, unhappy after losing his job to McGahee in October.

Henry rushed for over 1,300 yards in 2002 and 2003 before losing his starting job to McGahee last October.

His 2004 season ultimately came to an abrupt end when he suffered a broken leg against Seattle in late November. He rushed for 326 yards in 10 games, but became expendable with the emergence of McGahee, who rushed for 100 yards seven times over the final 12 weeks of the season.

In recent weeks, Donahoe said, Jacksonville, Seattle and Tennessee began to explore a trade, and midway through last week Donahoe agreed in principle to a deal with the Titans, who were looking for a reliable alternative to Chris Brown.

"Teams seemed very interested, and at other times teams were not interested at all, but Tennessee showed the most consistent interest in Travis throughout the whole process," Donahoe said.

Donahoe wasn't thrilled at receiving a mere third-round pick for a back who rushed for 3,849 yards in a little more than three full-time seasons, but that's what the market was bearing.

"On paper, did Tennessee get the best of this deal? Probably," Donahoe said. "They got a heck of a running back for a third-round pick. But we'll take the pick and hopefully we can use it to our advantage next year.

"For us it's not the third-round pick and who that player might be, but the flexibility of having that extra pick.

But even as this trade cleared up a distraction Buffalo, it creates even bigger questions for others -- specifically Tennessee and Jacksonville.

The plan here is to spend a few moments looking at how this deal affects the various teams and players involved in order to make sure up to speed -- and have a better idea of what to expect -- when camps open.

Naturally we'll start in Tennessee, where the early consensus says Henry will split time with Brown, who rushed for 1,067 yards last season -- but has also missed 10 games due to injury over his first two campaigns.

A 2001 second-round pick, Henry has rushed for 27 touchdowns in 54 games over four seasons with the Bills. He enjoyed his best season in 2002, rushing for 1,438 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Henry has also suffered some injury problems in his NFL career, but -- unlike Brown -- he's known for his toughness, a trait best demonstrated when he played through the latter part of the 2003 season with a hairline fracture in his lower leg. It's safe to assume that Titans head coach Jeff Fisher will appreciate Henry's toughness.

Further evidence of Henry's importance came on Tuesday, when he agreed to a multi-year extension with the Titans, who will officially introduce him at a news conference later today.

Terms of the new deal were not immediately available, but ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli is reporting it as a four-year extension, one that puts him under contract to the Titans through the 2009 season.

Without the extension, Henry would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring, and Tennessee would have faced the possibility of essentially just renting the talented back for a year.

Pasquarelli went on to note that details are still being hammered out, but the deal is expected to be structured in a manner that protects both sides. If Henry becomes the starter, he will eventually earn starter-caliber money. If he remains a backup, he likely will be one of the NFL's higher-paid reserve tailbacks.

In an article published Wednesday, Nashville Tennessean staffer Paul Kurharsky advised readers that some reports -- including I must admit, some published here -- have mistakenly portrayed Brown as heading toward restricted free agency, suggesting the Titans could be in a position to lose him next year if he signed an offer sheet the team couldn't match.

But the contract Brown signed as a third-round draft pick out of Colorado in 2003 was a four-year deal. He will earn a base salary of $385,000 this season, then see his 2007 salary jump significantly from the scheduled $460,000.

And for now, team officials seem to be very satisfied to have both men on hand.

"We are excited about acquiring a player of this caliber for our roster," Titans general manager Floyd Reese said of the move. "Travis is a dynamic back who will help us immediately. The combination of Chris Brown and Travis Henry puts us in elite company in terms of talented backfields.

"I don't know that it will matter who starts, because I envision both players making significant contributions throughout the season."

Of course, the notion that it doesn't matter who starts won't go over well with Fantasy nation. And the thought of yet another running back by committee featuring two very capable and talented backs is no more appealing.

But it's something we're going to have to deal with.

As Reese explained it: "[Henry is] a Pro Bowl running back -- they're hard to find. He's only 26 and he's only played four years. ... He comes in and it'll be a heck of a battle between he and Chris Brown. If he stays healthy and Chris stays healthy, we've got as good a combination as anybody in the league.

"If you've got that, you've got a chance to win a lot of games."

As Kuharsky suggested Tuesday, Henry will give the Titans' offense and new coordinator Norm Chow some intriguing options.

Indeed, the 6-3, 220-pound Brown and the 5-9, 215-pound Henry seem to fit the big-back/small-back formula that might allow them to more effectively share the load, but some observers believe Chow will try and get both players on the field together as much as possible.

Kuharsky, who believes the former University of Tennessee star will start out as the backup to Brown, reminded readers on Tuesday that Chow has fared well using two backs in past seasons. In fact, that's the approach he took last year at Southern Cal, when he used a rotation featuring LenDale White and Reggie Bush as part of the national champion Trojans' high-powered offense.

Auburn used the same type of approach with Ronnie Brown and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, and both players turned out to be top-five picks in April's draft.

In Pittsburgh last year, Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley split the carries almost evenly en route to a 15-1 season, and the Patriots won two of their three Super Bowls using a committee running back approach.

As Tennessean columnist David Climber pointed out, there were plenty of carries to go around for both Brown and No. 2 man Antowain Smith last year (although injuries to Brown forced the issue). And with two distinctively different running styles, Brown and Henry can wear on opposing defenses.

The thought of working in front of such a combo has Titans veteran tackle Brad Hopkins eagerly anticipating the results.

"It's exciting to me that we have two backs like that now, because that means we're going to use them," Hopkins said Monday. "We have the potential to have two backs with 1,000 yards. Has that ever happened?"

According to Kuharsky, it has happened. Three times.

Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris did it for the 1972 Dolphins; Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier did it for the 1976 Steelers; and Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack did it for the 1985 Browns.

While Hopkins said he sees Henry as an acquisition who can "bolster the offense, not replace Chris Brown," he also said the combination will help the offense in numerous ways.

"Those are two guys that can carry the load, and I think you can expect exciting things," Hopkins said. "We can help the defense by staying on the field a little longer, and running the ball helps."

Now doubt about that.

We'll obviously learn more about the Titans' plans when training camp opens July 29 and Chow -- along with running backs coach Sherman Smith -- start the process of deciding just how Henry fits into the offense.

All in all, it will make for a very interesting training camp and preseason in Tennessee -- for Fantasy owners and the Titans alike.

In the meantime, I tend to agree with Nashville City Paper staffer Terry McCormick, who summed it up like this: "At the very least, Henry gives the Titans a strong insurance policy for Brown, but more likely a player who will compete with him on equal footing for the starting job. ..."

For what it's worth. ... Veteran tight end Erron Kinney told Kuharsky that he doesn't expect Brown to bristle at Henry's arrival.

"If it were me and they brought in another tight end, it would be motivating," Kinney said. "I would view it as them trying to help me. Chris is definitely a big time player. I don't think it's to replace Chris. It adds depth to the position.

"The bottom line is if it helps us, it's going to help Chris."

And if you believe Brown's rep, Kinney is right.

Agent Bralyn Bennett told Kuharsky on Tuesday that his client is pleased that the Titans have added Henry and is looking forward to working with him.

"His thinking is right along with what the Titans have said all along, that they wanted to get a veteran back who helps share the load, helps assure he stays healthy and helps the team." Bennett said. "Chris is open to anyone who can come in and help the team at any position."

Of course, we'll all find out about that for ourselves soon enough. ...

Meanwhile, in Jacksonville. ... It appears the Jags could have had Henry if they had only moved a little faster. Hoping to "clear up the confusion," Donahoe blamed the Jaguars on Monday for not finishing off a deal for Henry, claiming Jacksonville was too indecisive in their dealings with him last week.

"Jacksonville was really up and down and couldn't seem to make up their mind what they wanted to do," Donahoe told Buffalo reporters.

According to Florida Times-Union beat man Bart Hubbuch, Jaguars senior vice president Paul Vance, who was the point man in the team's negotiations with the Bills, declined comment after reading Donahoe's comments.

But all indications are the Jaguars had worked out a long-term contract extension with Henry last week and offered a third-round pick to the Bills as compensation.

Hubbuch went on to report that once they realized the Titans had made the same offer, the Jaguars were prepared to counter with a second-round choice but said they never got the chance because Donahoe stopped returning phone calls before finishing the trade with Tennessee.

The Jaguars were upset about the unreturned calls because they said they thought they had done everything Donahoe told them to do to complete the trade, particularly in negotiating an extension with Henry beforehand.

But Donahoe had a different take on the situation Monday, saying the Jaguars waited too long -- specifically, last Friday evening -- to make a firm trade offer.

The Jaguars also didn't help their cause, Donahoe said, by abruptly changing their minds about acquiring Henry. Donahoe said the Jaguars decided last Monday not to pursue Henry after an apparently encouraging workout by Fred Taylor, then reversed their decision the following day.

"We were told ... by Jacksonville that they were going to work Fred Taylor out on Monday, which they did," Donahoe said. "We talked to them Monday afternoon, and they told us they weren't interested in Travis. They thought Fred Taylor was going to be fine when training camp started.

"So talks really heated up with Tennessee on Tuesday, and Tuesday evening, after we had verbally agreed to a deal with Tennessee, Jacksonville attempted to get back into it. I told Jacksonville Tuesday evening [that we had] a deal in principle with Tennessee.

"We didn't hear back from [the Jaguars until] probably Friday evening. We had turned the deal into the league, and Friday evening around 5:30 [p.m.] is when the league approved the language of the trade."

Donahoe denied that he traded Henry to the rebuilding Titans because he considers them less of a threat to the Bills in the playoff race this season than the Jaguars or Seattle, which also was interested in Henry.

"Tennessee [showed] the most consistent interest in Travis throughout the whole process," Donahoe said. "We made it clear to the teams [that] if somebody [was] willing to step up and give us a solid third, we [would] do the deal. A couple teams said, 'What if you get two offers for a third-round pick?' I said our inclination would be to take who offered it to us first."

Vance, meanwhile, reiterated that the Jaguars likely would not pursue another running back as insurance for Taylor, who didn't participate in offseason workouts because of knee surgery last January.

That means the Jaguars are prepared to go with backups LaBrandon Toefield, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala and Alvin Pearman until Taylor is back at full strength.

"[Head coach Jack Del Rio] made it clear last week that he likes the people who are already here," Vance said.

Of course, Del Rio also said he expected to have a deal for Henry sewn up sometime this week.

And I am convinced there was a reason that Del Rio and the Jaguars -- who as of late have emerged as one of the league's most secretive, underhanded and some might even say media-unfriendly teams -- came right out and discussed that need in front of God and everybody late last week.

All of which leaves no doubt in my mind that the Jags wanted Henry and wanted him badly.

Times-Union columnist Mike Freeman might have said it best when he wrote: "The Jaguars will play this smartly. They will say that Taylor's knee rehabilitation is going well and they expect him to be ready once the season begins. They will also say they are happy with their running backs and the interest in Henry had nothing to do with Taylor's injury.

"If that is true then Pauly Shore is a talented actor, Willy Wonka actually exists, and Orenthal will one day find the real killer.

"Pursuing Henry had everything to do with Taylor."

I couldn't agree more. ...

As for the Bills. ... Donahoe said he would have rather had Henry continue playing for Buffalo, but added the player made it clear he wanted out after last season.

"We wished that it could've worked but it didn't appear that it was going to work," Donahoe said. "We respect his feelings. We wish that it could've been different, but it wasn't."

Donahoe added: "I certainly want to thank Travis Henry for what he did while he was here in Buffalo. He was a warrior and an outstanding player for us."

Now, as Buffalo News sports reporter Mark Gaughan noted Tuesday morning, coaches can turn their attention to a wide-open competition for their backup running back job.

The Bills hope moves made in April and May better prepared them for Henry's exit. They drafted a big running back out of Louisville, Lionel Gates, in the seventh round. A month later they signed third-year veteran ReShard Lee, who had been cut by the Cowboys.

They join holdovers Joe Burns and Shaud Williams in the competition for two -- or maybe three -- roster spots behind McGahee.

"We feel good based on what we saw this spring," Donahoe said of his back lineup. "Talking to Mike [Mularkey] and the coaches, we think there's going to be a lot of competition on the team for the second and third spot.

"Joe Burns has the most experience of the guys who will be in camp. Shaud Williams did an outstanding job for us last year. We were impressed this spring with ReShard Lee, who we picked up from Dallas, and Lionel Gates, who we drafted in the seventh round.

"So we have four backs who we think will be very competitive to see who becomes Willis' backup."

Lee is a 5-foot-10, 220-pounder who was Dallas' No. 4 back last season. The Cowboys released him after signing free-agent Anthony Thomas and drafting Marion Barber III to be the backups to Julius Jones.

According to Gaughan, Lee probably rates as the slightest of favorites to be the Bills' No. 2 heading into training camp.

"He's a big back," Donahoe said of Lee. "He's more of a downhill-type runner, more of an explosive kind of runner, and when he got some opportunities in Dallas he did well. He was very good in the offseason program. We made sure coming here he understood he was going to have to do more than just carry the football.

"He was going to have to be involved on special teams and do whatever we asked him to do to contribute to the team. He's been on board with that."

Burns is a fourth-year veteran who has been a mainstay on special teams the past two years. He got just 20 carries last season. Williams is just 5-7, 193 but has good quickness. He played four games last year and gained 93 yards in a rout of San Francisco last December.

Gates, 6-0 and 233, is a physical, between-the-tackles runner. He split time with two other backs at Louisville last season but had a big game -- 109 yards and two TDs -- against Miami.

The best news, at least from a Fantasy perspective, is -- unlike the situations in Tennessee and Jacksonville -- all these guys are clear-cut backups; none will be given the opportunity to push McGahee for playing time.

Not that it would matter; none are capable of playing at anywhere near the level McGahee can.