Former Cleveland Browns running back Ben Tate has been claimed by the Minnesota Vikings, according to ESPN.
Ben Tate claimed by Vikings off waivers, per report
Tate was jettisoned by the Browns just 10 weeks into his two-year free agent deal signed last offseason.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Tate was released by Cleveland on Nov. 18, after he failed to live up to the two-year, $6.2 million deal that he signed this offseason. Tate rushed for 333 yards on 106 attempts with the Browns, a meager 3.1 yards per carry that ranked 49th out of 51 qualified players at the time of his release. After a combined 202 rushing yards in Weeks 5 and 6, Tate averaged just 1.7 yards per carry over his last five games prior to his release.
Tate had been passed on the Browns' depth chart in recent weeks by rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, and was unhappy about the number of carries he was getting in Cleveland's three-headed running back rotation. He had just two attempts for minus-9 yards in his last game with the Browns on Nov. 16.
The fourth-year back was a 2010 second-round pick by the Houston Texans, where he spent his first three NFL seasons primarily as the backup to Arian Foster. Tate had his best season in 2011, amassing 942 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per attempt.
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