Houston Texans: Lamar Miller would be a perfect addition

The Houston Texans understandably cut Arian Foster earlier this offseason, saving a ton of money in the process. However, Foster would have been the team’s second-best player on offense behind DeAndre Hopkins and an integral part of the team when healthy, which is why some believed he could be back despite the huge cap hit. Foster’s release has created a huge hole at running back, and nobody can fill it better than Lamar Miller.

There is almost no chance of the Houston Texans drafting Ezekiel Elliott this year, simply because he’s too good to fall outside of the top 20. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Indianapolis Colts are just three teams that make plent of sense for Elliott, and all three of them are on the clock before Houston.

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It leaves free agency as the Texans best option at the running back position, which could allow them to draft a quarterback or, more likely, a better No. 2 WR (Corey Coleman is one player to keep in mind) in the first round.

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This year’s crop of free agent running backs has several big names, but none are bigger than Doug Martin and Lamar Miller. Both players are coming off of fantastic 2015 seasons, and while Martin had more production and is a proven workhorse, the latter of the two has been more consistent year-to-year and has far less tread on his tires.

In a weird way, Miller can thank the Dolphins for not giving him sufficient carries over the past couple of seasons, because that has allowed a running back who is just 24 to hit the open market while teeming with youth and freshness. A running back-needy team like the Texans can feel confident in scooping him up to a long-term deal and plugging him in as a foundation back.

Few RBs have been more consistent per carry over the past two seasons than Miller, who had 5.1 yards per carry in 2014 before averaging 4.5 per pop in 2015. This average, of course, came behind an abysmal offensive line that included what was easily the worst guard duo in the NFL.

Miller is an extremely attractive candidate, and I am pleased to see a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport stating that the Texans are “working toward a deal” with a player who had been one of the league’s most underrated backs.

Although the Texans could lose Brandon Brooks this offseason, Miller will have an upgraded situation on the offensive line in Houston. Even if the Texans passing game struggles, Miller should still be able to move the chains for this offense, since he has the speed, vision, and slipperiness to overcome unfavorable fronts. I don’t think of Miller as a dynamic back (Martin does a much better job of making defenders miss), but he can break off big runs if he finds room.

For the Texans, the key here is adding a young back with real talent who can pick up chunks of yardage, and signing Miller would more than match the moves other AFC South teams have made at the running back position over the past year. Moreover, Miller would give the Texans next “franchise” quarterback a big lift, and that alone is an appealing reason in favor of inking the youngster to a large contract.

Miller needed just 216 carries to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark back in 2014, and the Dolphins laughably gave him the ball less last season despite Ryan Tannehill‘s statistical regression. The Texans won’t make that same mistake, and while there are worries Miller won’t be able to hold up as a feature back, I’m not one of those concerned. I’ve seen him mix it up in between the tackles as well as any back of his size, and he isn’t even small at 5’10”, 225 pounds anyway.

When you factor in his age, past workload, and overall talent, Miller might actually be the best free agent available at the running back position, even if Martin and Matt Forte should be considered strong challengers. I can’t think of a better signing for the Texans, since Miller would make a huge impact for years to come, especially if Houston decides to snag a late-round pass-catching back to help change the pace.

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The Texans interest in Miller isn’t new, but it’s great to see that they are serious about addressing the position with a sound, long-term option.