Since Travis Henry plowed his way to a double-take, that-just- can't-be-right 4,087 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns in a 14-game senior season at Frostproof (Fla.) High School, scouts, fans, teammates and coaches have tried to describe his running style.

Low. Powerful. Point A to Point B direct.

Or just plain hard. Yes, they always seem to finish there. Hard.

But it was former University of Tennessee defensive end Corey Terry who might have summed it up best in 1998. In a Volunteers preseason scrimmage, Terry managed to bring Henry to the ground after taking on a another bruise or two for his troubles.

"Man," Terry told Henry that day, "you're as hard as government cheese."

Henry, for the most part, left behind the "Cheese" nickname in Knoxville, Tenn., on his way through six NFL seasons split between the Bills and the Titans.

His next NFL stop will be with the Broncos after he signed a five-year deal, a hefty contract that will include $12 million in guaranteed money.

"I am real excited about it, considering all the stuff they've done, the way they run the ball and they have shown me a lot of love out here," Henry said before leaving Denver. "They have a good organization, a good thing going and I am excited about it, man. The way they run the ball, to me, it fits my style of running so I am real happy about that."

Henry has drawn raves for his power and raised questions as to what he could do in an offense that covets a straight-ahead runner and would give him all the carries he can handle.

Henry, who will turn 29 in October, has been to one Pro Bowl - in 2002 with Buffalo. He has three 1,000-yard seasons but lost his starting job with the Bills when they moved Willis McGahee into the lineup.

Henry was going to have a difficult time being the Titans starter again in 2007 as Tennessee hopes Denver native LenDale White can be its starter.

So Henry, who was set to visit Oakland and Green Bay in the coming days had he not signed, found his way to Denver.

The running game has been of particular interest for the Broncos since free agency started, with the team bringing in three backs in the first weekend as possible additions - Henry, Ahman Green and Correll Buckhalter.

Henry was set to leave Denver on Sunday night, but the Broncos asked him to stay as team officials, including general manager Ted Sundquist, worked to finish the deal Monday morning.

The Broncos also had at least one discussion with the Bills in recent days before signing Henry. Buffalo is shopping McGahee for a potential trade.

Henry, who played behind the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in Titans quarterback Vince Young, said he's just as excited to take the ball from the Broncos' Jay Cutler.

"I just know from watching him at Vanderbilt, he is a good player and it is going to be great working with him," Henry said. "They love him up here and he has a bright future, just like Vince does."

Henry rushed for 1,211 yards in 2006 with seven touchdowns and six 100-yard games. He has three 1,000-yard seasons, 5,395 yards and 34 rushing touchdowns.

Henry had a four-game suspension in 2005 for violating the league's substance abuse policy, meaning he tested positive at least once to enter the league's program and tested positive again to warrant the suspension.

Henry said the Titans, who had offered $8 million in guaranteed money, might have been swayed by his past in negotiations.

The Broncos are believed to have built some protection into the deal, to recover some of the signing bonus money if Henry tests positive again.

"Granted, there might have been some question marks out there with me because of stuff that happened in the past," Henry said. "But I can say one thing: I know where I want to be at the end of my career and I know where I want to end up at and . . . I know I have been in this league six years and to get a deal like I am getting, it is a blessing. I am going to give everything I've got to the Broncos. . . . I am going to a great organization and I'm going to do everything I can to help the Denver Broncos."

ETC.: The Broncos, who have given one-year tender offers to fullbacks Kyle Johnson and Cecil Sapp, signed former Rams fullback Paul Smith to a three-year deal. Smith is considered by special teams coaches around the league to be one of the best kick coverage players in the middle of the field. Smith blasted so hard into a wedge on kickoff coverage against Detroit last season that he suffered an eye-socket injury. He also was good enough in the offense to beat out Madison Hedgecock for the Rams' starting fullback job and will have a chance to be Denver's starter. . . . Free agent defensive end Patrick Kerney, who visited the Broncos, left Seattle without a deal, but decided by the time his plane reached Atlanta he would take a six-year offer - for just more than $39 million - from the Seahawks. Seattle is believed to have offered more upfront money that he will get more quickly than he would have from the Broncos, with almost $20 million guranteed from the Seahawks. Kerney had said he wanted to play in the West and that Seattle or Denver were his first two choices. . . . The Seahawks also were putting together an offer for tight end Daniel Graham, a Thomas Jefferson High School graduate who has a multiyear offer from the Broncos. . . . Quarterback Anthony Wright was scheduled to visit the Broncos on Monday and again today.

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com

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