NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans running back Chris Brown is
heading into the final year of his contract and believes being
traded away from a crowded backfield is his best career move, his
agent said Friday.
Brown's agents, Ryan Morgan and Wynn Silberman, officially
requested a trade in a letter sent Monday. Brown has been the
Titans' starter the past two years and tops the depth chart this
season.
"To us, it's not anything against the organization," Morgan
said. "We feel there are a number of other places that would
provide a significantly better fit as Chris heads into this
contract year."
The Titans, who report for training camp Thursday, declined to
comment on the trade request. General manager Floyd Reese has been
working to sign the team's 10 draft picks, and was scheduled to
meet Friday with the agent for Vince Young.
But the Titans have plenty of running backs to choose from this
season after drafting LenDale White out of Southern California in
the second round. They traded for Travis Henry before last season,
and he spent the offseason working himself into shape after
recovering from an old ankle injury.
Also on the roster for training camp are Jarrett Payton, son of
the late Walter Payton, Damien Bush and seventh-round draft pick
Quinton Ganther.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Brown, a third-round pick out of
Colorado in 2003, ran for 851 yards in 15 games in 2005, well ahead
of Henry's 335 yards rushing while suspended for four games. Brown
had 224 rushing attempts, only four more than he had in 2004 when
he played four fewer games.
Brown, scheduled to make $1.57 million, ran for 1,067 yards, a
4.9-yard average, in 11 games as a starter in 2004. He put on some
extra muscle this offseason to help his endurance.
"We think he clearly has the ability to be a top back in the
league, and we are concerned. The roster composition is a concern
for us. We understand that the NFL is very competitive, and Chris
is up to that task," Morgan said.
"When you actually dig in and look at the facts as they are in
Tennessee, the facts kind of speak for themselves as far as the
future of the organization is headed."
The Titans didn't get a chance to run the ball much last season
with only 397 rushes, the lowest total in coach Jeff Fisher's first
11 full seasons with the team. Trailing by double digits in each of
their losses, throwing instead of running was their lone option
most of the season.