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Texans consider options at RB
Returnees, college free agents in the running as Slaton’s backup
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/6402464.html
Unless they sign a free agent like Selvin Young, who was waived by Denver on Thursday, the Texans will be five deep at running back.
The Denver Post reported that Young is suffering from a herniated disc, so he'll have to get healthy before a team is interested in signing him.
The search for the ideal complement to Steve Slaton is an ongoing process that, at some point, probably will include more players waived by other teams since the Texans didn’t fill that need in the draft.
Beginning with 14 organized team activities that start May 18, continuing through the minicamp June 15-17 and into training camp and preseason, it’s going to be interesting to see what player wins the backup job.
Targeted backs taken
Shonn Greene (Jets) and Glen Coffee (49ers), backs targeted by the Texans as good value in the third round for what they were looking for, were taken before they chose center Antoine Caldwell with the 77th overall pick.
As of today, there are four candidates to earn the top backup job behind Slaton (5-9, 204), who set a team record with 1,282 yards rushing, averaged 4.8 yards a carry, totaled 1,659 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2008.
Ideally, the coaches would like a bigger back who fits their one-cut system, a back like Ahman Green (6-0, 218), who was waived, or Cedric Benson (5-11, 220), who was courted by the Texans before re-signing with Cincinnati.
Ryan Moats (5-8, 210) did well playing behind Slaton last season. Chris Brown (6-3, 220) would be ideal because he’s familiar with the system but is injured a lot. He spent last season on injured reserve.
“I like both of them,” offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said. “If Chris can stay healthy, I feel very good about it (running back situation). He’s healthy now, and we’re counting on him. I expect a lot out of Chris this year.
“Ryan’s very talented. He really came on last season. He’s perfect for our system. He could be what we’re looking for, also.”
Because they didn’t select a back in the draft, the Texans signed two undrafted free agents — Tennessee’s Arian Foster (6-1, 227) and Oregon’s Jeremiah Johnson (5-9, 209). Both had injuries in college.
“In four years at Oregon, his worst average per carry was 6.1 yards,” Shanahan said about Johnson, who averaged 6.7 yards a carry in his career. “After Jonathan Stewart left (for Carolina), as a senior, he averaged 7.1 yards a carry.”
Johnson missed most of his junior year after undergoing surgery to repair a torn knee ligament. He returned last season to rush for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns.
“He’s got good vision,” Shanahan said. “He slid in the draft because he’s undersized and not very fast, but he’s quick. ”
Foster played with knee, shoulder and ankle injuries at Tennessee. As a junior, he rushed for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Drop-off as a senior
After his junior season, Foster underwent knee surgery. His performance as a senior slipped dramatically. He played in every game but had only 570 yards.
“Foster’s talented enough to have been a third-or fourth-round (pick),” Shanahan said. “He has everything we’re looking for. He’s a big back who’s not going to mess around. He’s going to get downhill quick.
“He looks the part. His running style is what we’re looking for, very similar to Chris Brown, and that’s what we really need to complement Steve.”
