Chad Henne - Pro Football Rumors

Chiefs To Sign QB Matt Moore

August 26th, 2019 at 12:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have agreed to sign quarterback Matt Moore, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Moore will step into the role left vacant by Chad Henne, who is undergoing ankle surgery.

Moore, 35, served as Ryan Tannehill‘s backup with the Dolphins for five seasons, but was out of football in 2018. In the previous season, Moore figured to be Tannehill’s fill-in post-ACL tear, but he was pushed out of the picture in favor of Jay Cutler.

For obvious reasons, the Chiefs are hoping that they won’t have to rely on Moore at all this year. There’s also this to consider – the Dolphins reportedly didn’t turn to Moore in 2017 because his arm was “shot.” Now 35 and coming off of a one-year layoff, it’s fair to wonder what Moore would have to offer if he were thrust into action.

While Moore led the Dolphins to the playoffs in 2016 in place of Tannehill, he did not fare as well in two starts for Cutler in 2017 – Moore’s yards-per-attempt figure dropped from 8.3 to 6.8 and his interception count (five) eclipsed his touchdown-pass total (four).

In addition to Mahomes and Moore, the Chiefs also have Chase Litton and Kyle Shurmur on hand. Neither of those quarterbacks have taken a regular season snap.

Contract Details/Restructures: 3/17/18

March 17th, 2018 at 9:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts and restructures around the NFL:

New Contracts

Allen Robinson, WR (Bears): Three years, $42MM. $25.2MM guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
Teddy Bridgewater, QB (Jets): One year, $6MM. $1MM guaranteed. $9MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
Chad Henne, QB (Chiefs): Two years, $6.7MM. $3.1MM signing bonus. Performance incentives and escalators available (Twitter link via Jason Wolf of the Tennessean).

Restructures

Cardinals: Created $500K in 2018 cap space by converting S Antoine Bethea‘s roster bouns into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Vikings: Created $1.15MM in 2018 cap space by reducing RB Latavius Murray‘s base salary from $5.15MM to $3.65M; his roster bonus from $500K to $250K; and his incentives from $2.3MM to $1MM (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).

Chiefs Sign QB Chad Henne

March 16th, 2018 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs are signing quarterback Chad Henne to a two-year deal, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Henne, 33 in July, will serve as the No. 2 QB behind Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs have been on the lookout for a backup/mentor to pair with Mahomes. They had interest in signing Chase Daniel to fill that role, but he wound up joining the Bears on a two-year deal worth $10MM with $7MM guaranteed.

Kansas City may have preferred Daniel for the job, but Henne comes with more in-game experience. Daniel has only two starts in his entire NFL career and none since 2014. Henne, meanwhile, boasts 53 career starts, though he also hasn’t made a start since ’14.

The last time Henne saw consistent playing time was 2013, when he completed 60.6% of his passes for 3,241 yards and 13 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.

Chiefs Interested In Chad Henne, Matt Moore

March 15th, 2018 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs will meet with Chad Henne on Thursday night, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington (on Twitter). The Chiefs also have interest in Dolphins free agent signal caller Matt Moore, Darlington adds.

The Titans and Dolphins are also showing interest in Henne, who has spent the last six seasons with the Jaguars. Henne has appeared in only six games since 2014, but NFL teams believe that he profiles as a solid backup option. In KC, he’d be the No. 2 QB behind Patrick Mahomes, giving them an experienced Plan B. The last time Henne, 33 in July, saw consistent playing time was 2013, when he completed 60.6% of his passes for 3,241 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

Moore, another free agent QB from a Florida team, will turn 34 in August. Last year, it was reported that he felt slighted by Miami’s signing of Jay Cutler, so he could be looking to move on this offseason.

Titans, Dolphins Interested In QB Chad Henne

March 14th, 2018 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Quarterback Chad Henne is set to meet with the Titans, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The Dolphins have also expressed interest in the veteran signal-caller, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

Signing with Miami would be a bit of a homecoming for the 32-year-old, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins. Henne has spent the past six years with the Jaguars, where he’s started 22 games. The veteran hasn’t seen the field much recently, as he’s only appeared in six games since 2014. The last time Henne saw consistent playing time was 2013, when he completed 60.6% of his passes for 3,241 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

Both the Titans and Dolphins would presumably be eyeing Henne for a backup role. Tennessee is currently rolling with Tyler Ferguson as the backup to Marcus Mariota, while Miami is rostering Brandon Doughty behind Ryan Tannehill.

Latest on Jaguars’ QB Competition

August 23rd, 2017 at 6:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jaguars announced that they will start quarterback Chad Henne over Blake Bortles in their exhibition game against Carolina on Thursday. Both signal-callers will receive first-team reps, but the fact that Henne will get top billing in the Jaguars’ most important preseason game seemingly bodes well for his chances of starting the team’s regular-season opener in Houston on Sept. 10.

[RELATED: Jaguars Offseason In Review]

Bortles, whom the Jaguars chose third overall in the 2014 draft, had a mediocre-at-best first three seasons in the NFL and has been ineffective this summer. Both his on-field woes and his contract status combine to cloud his future in Jacksonville. If he doesn’t win the starting over Henne, the Jaguars could cut Bortles, though doing so would leave them with $6.57MM in dead cap and no savings. But keeping him would be risky, as Bortles has a $19MM fifth-year option for 2018 that’s guaranteed for injury. Should Bortles stay on the Jags’ roster this season and suffer an injury that leaves him unable to pass a physical next March, they’d be on the hook for that sizable sum a year from now.

Henne, like Bortles, hasn’t exactly established himself as a quality starter during his time in the league. A second-round pick of the Dolphins in 2008, the 32-year-old has totaled 65 appearances (53 starts) and posted poor numbers (59.3 completion percentage, 58 touchdowns against 63 interceptions, 75.5 passer rating). The ex-Michigan standout hasn’t started a regular-season game since 2014.

Unless the light bulb goes on for Henne or Bortles during the season, a fairly talented Jacksonville team will struggle to break its nine-year playoff drought or significantly improve over its three-win 2016. Still, although their situation under center looks bleak, the Jaguars have not considered adding an outsider to the mix. The best options available in free agency include Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III, while the Browns’ Brock Osweiler is on the block. Griffin and Osweiler come with obvious on-field warts, though, while teams have been averse to signing Kaepernick because of his his off-field activism and his recent decline in performance.

Jaguars Not Pursuing Free Agent QBs

August 19th, 2017 at 8:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Jaguars intend to open their starting quarterback job to a competition between Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, there’s no indication the club is examining free agent signal-callers, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Indeed, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone says he hasn’t discussed external quarterback additions with the team’s front office, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).

Even if the Jaguars were open to signing a free agent quarterback, they’d enter a market that is extremely lacking in options. Colin Kaepernick is the only available passer who may represent a clear upgrade over Bortles and/or Henne, but the former 49er is a tough sell in some NFL markets due to his social activism. Other quarterbacks who remain unsigned include Robert Griffin III, Shaun Hill, and Zach Mettenberger.

Bortles hasn’t lost the Jaguars’ quarterback job just yet, per Pelissero, who cautions that Jacksonville is running a true competition between the former No. 3 overall pick and Henne. However, the club’s decision won’t be based solely on production — finances are involved, too. The Jaguars have already exercised Bortles’ 2018 option worth north of $19MM, and that total will become guaranteed if Bortles suffers a serious injury and can’t pass a physical next spring.

As such, Jacksonville could potentially bench Bortles for the season in order to keep him healthy, ensuring that they’ll be able release him in 2018. The Redskins used the same tactic in 2015, placing RG3 on the sidelines so that he wouldn’t suffer an option-guaranteeing injury. Of course, the Jaguars wouldn’t be in this precarious position had they declined Bortles’ option earlier this year, a move Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap argues would have been correct.

Jaguars Open Up QB Competition

August 18th, 2017 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars now have an open quarterback competition. After a dismal showing from Blake Bortles on Thursday night, head coach Doug Marrone says the starting job is up for grabs.

“It’s this simple: I’m looking for the best person to lead this offense,” Marrone said (Twitter link via John Oehser of the team’s website). “[The QB position] is right up there for grabs, and either person can take it…It’s not like [Bortles] is not the quarterback. He’s got to go earn it.”

The Jaguars exercised Bortles’ fifth-year option for 2018, but that season is guaranteed for injury only. If the Jaguars see Chad Henne as the superior signal caller right now, then the former No.3 overall pick might not be long for Jacksonville. As Mike Florio of PFT recently suggested, the Jaguars may want to consider benching Bortles for the entire season so that they do not risk him getting injured and collecting on $19MM+ when they don’t want him. It would be an extreme measure, but it’s not unprecedented – the Redskins did the same thing with Robert Griffin III in 2015.

Bortles showed promise in 2015, when he threw for the second-most touchdowns in the NFL (35, one behind Tom Brady) and placed seventh in passing yards (4,428). However, after a down 2016 and a rocky summer, the Jaguars may wind up going in a different direction.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Pats, Dupree

July 9th, 2017 at 9:32am CST by Rory Parks

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill believes the team’s 2017 offense will be the best he has ever played with, and James Walker of ESPN.com agrees with him. On paper, Miami does boast a great deal of talent at the skill positions, but as Walker observes, the Dolphins still have some depth problems. Jay Ajayi was a revelation in 2016, but what happens if he should go down with an injury, or if he needs to be spelled from time to time as the season progresses? Could Kenyan Drake or Damien Williams step up? And can Leonte Carroo be counted on to complement Kenny Stills, Jarvis Landry, and DeVante Parker, or even carry the load if one of those players should get hurt? Will Mike Pouncey stay healthy for a full season. Of course, every team can ask itself similar questions, but for the Dolphins’ offense to take a step forward this year, it will need to stay healthy or else get contributions from unlikely sources.

Now for more from the AFC:

As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com observes, the Patriots don’t have many major position battles, but one to keep an eye on is at backup tight end. Of course, Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen are entrenched in the top spots, but given Gronk’s health issues, the No. 3 TE could end up playing a significant role. As it currently stands, Matt Lengel and James O’Shaughnessy will compete with UDFAs Jacob Hollister and Sam Cotton for the job.
Steelers LB Bud Dupree was drafted with the thought that he could become the next great Pittsburgh pass rusher, and given the way he performed down the stretch in 2016, the team believes the third-year pro is ready to make the leap. As Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review points out, Dupree did not start his first game in 2016 until Week 14 — he began the year on injured reserve and was slowly eased back into action — but in that Week 14 matchup, Dupree played all but one snap and racked up 2.5 sacks (he ended the regular season with 4.5 sacks). He also recorded a half-sack in the playoffs while playing all but three snaps, so he appears primed for a breakout in 2017.
The Browns finished 1-15 last season, and most think they will be lucky to get to six or seven wins in 2017, but Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says head coach Hue Jackson is not on a short leash. The team’s front office realizes it was again looking at a multi-year overhaul when it hired Jackson, and Jackson will get a chance to see it through (assuming he wants to, of course).
Some are wondering why Chad Henne is still on the Jaguars roster even though he does not have a pass attempt since 2014, but Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has a succinct answer. O’Halloran says, “Henne has experience in many offenses. He has experience working with new coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. And he has accepted being a sounding board for Blake Bortles. That’s why [he] is here.” Of course, as we heard last month, second-year player Brandon Allen could unseat Henne with an impressive preseason.

AFC Notes: Patriots, Luck, Henne

June 18th, 2017 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots‘ best chance to replace the bruising and punishing running of LeGarrette Blount, who was a key part of the team’s success over the past few seasons, could come from a surprising source. In his first attempt to predict the Patriots’ 53-man roster, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe says that UDFA LeShun Daniels, Jr. might be the best-equipped of New England’s stacked running back group to fill Blount’s void. McBride does not believe Daniels will make the team out of camp, writing that he is more likely a practice squad candidate at the moment, but the future is bright for the 6-foot, 225-pounder, who excelled in his senior season at Iowa.

Now for more from the AFC:

Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell was kept on the sideline during spring practices, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says there is nothing to worry about. Mitchell has a more extensive injury history than many second-year players, and New England is handling his workload accordingly to ensure they can keep him healthy for the long haul.
We heard earlier this week that Andrew Luck may not be ready for training camp, leading some to wonder if he is also in danger of missing the start of the regular season. Kevin Bowen of Colts.com, however, does not believe that’s the case. Bowen says that if the team was really concerned about Luck’s availability for Week 1, the team would have brought in a veteran QB to compete with backup Scott Tolzien.
Alex Marvez of NFL.com tweets that Chargers linebacker Nick Dzubnar is completely healed from the ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2016 season. Dzubnar has primarily served as a special teams contributor during his first two years in the league, but he has performed very well in that role.
Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union takes his first crack at predicting the Jaguars‘ 53-man roster, and there do not seem to be any major surprises there. One point of intrigue is the quarterback position, as O’Halloran speculates that second-year signal-caller Brandon Allen, who was good enough in camp and the preseason last year to convince Jacksonville to keep a third QB for the first time since 2013, could unseat longtime backup Chad Henne.
Earlier today we took a look at a few notes on the Steelers and Browns.