Despite coming off the first losing season under head coach Bill O'Brien, the Houston Texans are a team on the rise with what could be a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson leading the way. Injuries ruined any chance of the Texans competing last year with J.J. Watt and Watson going down with season-ending injuries, but the future may be bright in Houston even if there are a few players on the team that could be looking for a job soon.
According to ESPN's Sarah Barshop, the Texans may be considering parting ways with one of their best offensive weapons this offseason. Running back Lamar Miller is coming off a down year and may be looking for employment for the 2018 NFL season if Houston indeed feels it's time to move on.
The Texans could part ways with Miller two years into the four-year contract they signed him to before the 2016 season, but given his track record and the team’s impressive $64 million in cap space, it may be worth giving Miller another chance. If he doesn’t replicate the form he showed in Miami — and Foreman takes another step forward — Miller may not be with the Texans after 2018.
Miller made a name for himself with the Miami Dolphins during the 2014 NFL season in which he rushed for a career-high 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns. He also made his mark in the passing game with 38 receptions for 275 yards and a touchdown. Miller followed up his breakout year with another solid season in 2015 with 1,269 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns for Miami.
After the 2015 campaign, Miller signed with the Texans as a free agent. Houston wanted to bolster their running game with the addition of Miller and were able to do just that as he had another 1,000-yard rushing season in his first year with the Texans. The former Dolphins back didn't miss a beat in his new surroundings in Houston.
However, last season was a different story for Miller. The 26-year-old back out of Miami struggled to reclaim his form from the prior season in Houston. He racked up 1,215 yards from scrimmage with six touchdowns, three receiving and three rushing, but the team brought in rookie D’Onta Foreman to share the workload, and the team may be looking to move on from the veteran in favor of the younger back in Foreman.
Unfortunately for Foreman, the rookie tore his Achilles in Week 11 further complicating the situation for the Texans brass. Although Foreman is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for next season, it still leaves uncertainty, and that could ultimately secure Miller's spot with the team for at least another season.
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