The Scouts' Buzz: Writing was on wall for Henry's future in Denver

If he followed the offseason moves made by the Broncos, Travis Henry should not have been surprised when the team released him this week.

First, Denver forced Henry to take a significant pay cut after the season and eliminated a $6 million option bonus that was part of the veteran's original five-year, $22.5 million contract signed only a season ago. Then, the team drafted a promising running back (Ryan Torian) and signed 11-year veteran Michael Pittman to compete for playing time in the backfield. With Selvin Young returning after a solid rookie season, Henry was entering training camp faced with the prospect of having to earn his carries as part of running-back-by-committee attack.

"The decision to release him is not surprising considering the limited production he provided the team last season," said an AFC scout. "This league is all about performance, and they got better production from other guys on their roster. ... If he had played better for them, they would be willing to overlook his questionable character and work habits."

Although Henry briefly led the league in rushing during the first month of the 2007 season, he didn't appear to significantly upgrade the Broncos' running game and his tumultuous first season included several questionable off-field incidents. While coach Mike Shanahan had staunchly defended Henry, he eventually used the off-field problems as justification for severing ties with the disappointing veteran.

�€� Shawn Springs' absence from the Redskins offseason program is surprising given the presence of a new head coach ( Jim Zorn) and defensive coordinator ( Greg Blache). Though the practices fall under the "voluntary" category, nearly all of the Redskins have participated in the drills and the 12-year veteran's absence is notable considering his stature as one of the leaders in the secondary.

With Carlos Rogers recovering from a torn ACL, the Redskins are counting on Springs to play a significant role next season, but his time away from the team prevents Blache from crafting a scheme that suits the veteran's skills. Springs is still regarded as the team's top corner, and his ability to play the nickel position in their sub-package makes him critical member of their defense. However, opponents have noticed that the former Pro Bowler's skills have started to slip and few regard him as a top corner in the league.

"He is not an elite corner, and hasn't been viewed as one for several years," said a NFC scout. "When we played them, a large part of our game plan was designed to attack him specifically."

An AFC scout added, "He's clearly lost a step and is no longer capable of holding up in man coverage against top receivers. ...They do a great job of hiding him in cover-2 and incorporating him into their blitz package as a nickel rusher, but he doesn't strike any fear in offenses."

In fact, that opinion may be shared by the Redskins, who asked Springs to accept a pay cut prior to last season. Though he declined, the move was likely viewed as an insult and could be partially to blame for Springs' decision to stay away from Redskins Park this offseason.

�€� There are two ways to look at the Cowboys decision to reward Terrell Owens with a three-year, $27 million contract extension this week. Some league observers were skeptical of paying that much for a 34-year-old receiver. "Typically, you shy away from paying a premium for older players because their performance has a tendency to fall off dramatically," says an AFC personnel executive. But at least one AFC scout applauded Dallas for paying the guy who makes their offense go, saying, "Conventional wisdom says that you avoid paying an older receiver, but his value to their team is significant and justifies the size of the deal."