The Houston Texans have now lost four games in a row, and a fifth straight defeat will mean the end of their hopes for this season, and they will seriously start considering moving some pieces, like Ben Tate, who turns into a free agent at the end of the season, and is generating plenty of interest from running-back needy teams like the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and even the Miami Dolphins.
Tate has carried the ball only 51 times this season, but he’s averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and is part of the sixth best rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 131 yards per game. But the Texans are falling apart with turnovers and an inability to convert in the redzone, leading them to seriously think about salvaging what they can from this season, as Matt Schaub’s injury isn’t going to help them win in week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Dallas Cowboys once again find themselves with DeMarco Murray injured. It’s nothing serious, but the former Oklahoma running back has a sprained MCL, which means he’ll be out for a week or two, unless he plans on playing injured. With just Joseph Randle as his backup and the NFC East ripe for the taking (the Cowboys haven’t won their division since 2009), moving for Tate and sacrificing some draft picks, even if he’s going to be very hard to keep next season, might be worth a shot.
The Cleveland Browns are a less likely destination because of their move earlier this season, giving Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for draft picks. The Browns are stacking up their picks as they seem to be in an endless era of rebuilding. If Tate is good enough in their eyes to be productive for a few years to come and he’s better than anyone they might get in the draft, giving up something for him might not be such a bad idea.
The Miami Dolphins haven’t done well running the ball this season, averaging only 69.6 yards per game. However, the team insists they’re happy with Lamar Miller, averaging 42.2 yards per game, and with Daniel Thomas, who has only 2.8 yards per carry, blaming their offensive line for the trouble. However, if they feel they can catch up with the Patriots or at least distance themselves from the Jets and Bills, moving for Tate should upgrade their running game substantially.