Will a playoff team look to sign Ben Tate?

Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota running back Ben Tate III (33) rushes against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have placed Ben Tate on waivers. This is the 2nd time in a month that Tate has been on the streets. How did he fall off of the planet so quickly?

After his final season with the Houston Texans, he tested out free agency to get an opportunity to be the main back on a roster. He took the chance with the Cleveland Browns.

In his 3 seasons with Houston, Tate started 9 games and played in 40 total games. He racked up 1992 yards and 10 touchdowns over his 3 years as the backup to Arian Foster. In his first season, he averaged 5.4 yards per carry, but that number has been sinking over the last few years. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his last 2 seasons with the Texans. Before he was released by the Browns, he averaged 3.1 yards per carry. Before he was released by the Minnesota Vikings, he was averaging 2.9 yards per carry.

There are a number of red flags on Tate. His declining stats is a concern. The fact that he has been released by a pair of teams in a month has to be a concern for teams around the league. There have been whispers of a bad attitude in the locker room as well.

Despite the declining numbers and the whispers, there are a few playoff teams that have been in a desperate need for a running game this season. Let’s look at these playoff teams to see if Tate is a fit.

Next: Indianapolis Colts