Amidst the implosion of 2013 Houston Texans, Ben Tate is playing out the final weeks of his rookie contract, and he's not too sure if he wants to stick around.
Ben Tate ‘can’t answer’ about his Texans future
Tate’s contract will expire at the end of this season, and coaching turnover and Arian Foster’s presence on the roster will likely send him searching for greener pastures.
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Major offseason changes are in store for the Texans, who just fired head coach Gary Kubiak in the wake of a shocking 2-11 season, and Tate voiced concerns over the instability of the franchise on Monday, according to Ultimate Texans.
“That’s something I can’t really answer right now,” Tate said when asked if he plans on returning to Houston. “Just the fact so many things are going to change once the season’s over - different head coaches, different people fired everywhere else. That’s something I haven’t really thought about yet. That’s something I’ll probably think about after the next three weeks.”
While coaching turnover may play a role in Tate’s decision, a far more significant factor is be the presence of star running back Arian Foster. Tate, considered perhaps the best backup in the NFL, has been trapped behind Foster on the depth chart since entering the league, and it’s nearly inconceivable that he won’t opt to pursue a starting gig elsewhere in the league. Only 25, Tate will be one of the hottest free agent names of the off-season if he so chooses.
With Foster going down with a season-ending injury back in October, Tate has been gifted a golden opportunity to showcase his abilities to potential employers. The results have been mixed, with the fourth-year back averaging 63.5 yards and scoring three touchdowns over six games as the primary rusher. All three scores came against the Patriots in Week 13, a game in which he also rushed for a season-high 102 yards.
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