5 questions: Ben Tate edition

[2slik4u]

Originally Posted by 2slik4u

Tampa bay just spent a second on Doug Martin and Cleveland just spent a first on Trent Richardson. Green bay doesn't run the ball. I was thinking more like cincy, Miami, Indy, jets?

What am I even saying? He's not being traded. He shouldn't be traded. Three things will happen with Ben Tate.

1. He gets extension to say with Texans this year or next
2. He gets completely new deal with us when his rookie contract runs out
Or
3. We let him walk and sign else where at the end of his contract.

I'm not saying Arian or Tate are pure products of the system but remember, its a little easier to have a Rb run in our zone blocking scheme and make them look good...kinda like mike leach and his system qbs. Find certain characteristics in these guys and let them flourish...but for the record, I want Tate to stay.

[utahmark]

The running back position is overrated in the nfl. Show me a team with a good offensive line and I will show you a good runningback. With our zone blocking scheme running backs or even more overrated. We are already spending way to much money on that position, so I hope we don't resign him.

Bill Belichick has it figured out why can't anyone else?

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by utahmark

Bill Belichick has it figured out why can't anyone else?

And by "figured it out", you mean "Have Tom Brady at QB"?

Wasn't the Texans o-line in 2009 pretty much the same unit in 2010 & 2011? And the scheme? I have to give Arian Foster some credit for the Texans moving from 30th to #7, then #2 in rushing.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by Rey

How important is Ben Tate to this team?
If Foster is a 10 then his back-up should be at least a 7 which I feel confident Tate qualifies. They are also worth more together than apart. Scale of 1-10 then he's an 8

Can the Texans keep him long term?
Ben must stay healthy & prove to be a RB a team can ride into the playoffs. If he accomplishes that, then yes.

Would you try to keep him long term? Within salary constraints, yes.

Is there any chance Ben Tate is with the team past next year?
50-50

What would you expect in return from a trade involving Tate?
2nd rounder.

My gut feeling tells me no. Ben Tate is a beast RB, physical @ the line with explosive burst to second level but not a second gear. He can be an excellent back-up to an elite RB like Foster but will yearn to carve his own niche, sooner or later. But doubt this ends in a trade, more like typical walk after contract negotiations fail Texan style.

[Rey]

Interesting responses. I got the impression that most felt like it was forgone conclusion he'd be traded after the season.

[Dutchrudder]

Originally Posted by GlassHalfFull

I don't want to trade him, so not going to vote.

there :pouts:

I agree, that's why I went with 3rd round. I assume he will get a starting gig somewhere else in free agency, and we will get a 3rd round compensatory pick for him in 2014

I'd like to get something out of him, but he's just so cheap, it's hard to see the Texans trading him next year. I don't think we will have the money to keep him, and I think the money could be wisely spent elsewhere.

[utahmark]

Originally Posted by Lucky

And by "figured it out", you mean "Have Tom Brady at QB"?

Wasn't the Texans o-line in 2009 pretty much the same unit in 2010 & 2011? And the scheme? I have to give Arian Foster some credit for the Texans moving from 30th to #7, then #2 in rushing.

I give Foster some of the credit but I give more credit to the improvement of the offensive line. In 2009 the offensive line was young and just coming together. Tate averaged 1 ypc more than foster last year. Either we have the best two backs in all of football or our offensive line was pretty damn good last year. How many diff 1000 yard backs did Denver have during Gary's time as offensive coordinator there?

And by "figured it out" I mean "Don't waist cap money on a position you don't have to".

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by utahmark

And by "figured it out" I mean "Don't waist cap money on a position you don't have to".

The Patriots running game sucks. And that flaw shows in games vs good defenses.

You can't paint every team with the same brush. The Texans rely heavily on their running game. So it's smart to have 2 very good, if not great, RBs. And in my opinion, Tate is one of the top 10 runners in the league (though not the complete RB that Foster is).

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Lucky

The Patriots running game sucks. And that flaw shows in games vs good defenses.

You can't paint every team with the same brush. The Texans rely heavily on their running game. So it's smart to have 2 very good, if not great, RBs. And in my opinion, Tate is one of the top 10 runners in the league (though not the complete RB that Foster is).

I really think so too .... thats why its going to be near impossible to keep them both.


Good teams lose good players .... thats just how the salary cap works.

[eriadoc]

The team spent a 2nd round pick on him. They spent time coaching and developing him. Getting less than a first rounder would be a waste, IMO. I also agree that it's unlikely a team would give that up, and therefore I say ride him as long as you can. I actually think he's even better than people here give him credit for.

Full disclosure - I wanted Gerhart.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by GlassHalfFull

I don't want to trade him, so not going to vote.

there :pouts:

Yeah...Whut she said.
And just where the heck IS the "I see no logically sane reason to break up our RB tandom for any price" option.

Edit:
The next draft will tip Smithiak's hand with respect to Ben Tate's future with the Texans. If we use a top three pick in the next draft (perhaps in the 2014) on a RB then they are probably preparing for life without Tate. Just my

[Wolf6151]

Originally Posted by Rey

How important is Ben Tate to this team?

Can the Texans keep him long term?

Would you try to keep him long term?

Is there any chance Ben Tate is with the team past next year?

What would you expect in return from a trade involving Tate?

1. Tate is very important to this team, he's Fosters primary backup and more of a power runner than Foster.
2. No I don't believe the Texans can keep Tate long term. He'll be a FA after the 2013 season and far to expensive to keep.
3. If it were possible financially yes I'd love to keep Tate, but it's just not going to happen, he'll be to expensive once he reaches FA.
4. Slim to none.
5. I expect the Texans to attempt to trade Tate after this season so that hopefully we get something for him and not just allow him to walk.

If traded right now I'd want a 1st round pick, after the season I'd still ask for a 1st but would settle for a very high 2nd and a 3rd.

[rmartin65]

I would want a first, but would probably do two 2nds. I dont want to trade him, but we are up against the cap as it is, and he is going to demand serious dough, so long as he plays as well as he did last year. I think it is inevitable that he is going to walk, so if there is a trade out there for a first or 2 2s, I think we do it.

[utahmark]

Originally Posted by Lucky

The Patriots running game sucks. And that flaw shows in games vs good defenses.

You can't paint every team with the same brush. The Texans rely heavily on their running game. So it's smart to have 2 very good, if not great, RBs. And in my opinion, Tate is one of the top 10 runners in the league (though not the complete RB that Foster is).

Maybe i'm wrong but I don't value running backs as much as most. I look at the old Oilers with the great offensive lines they had. They had some great running backs as well but when they went down guys like Allen Pinkett and Gary Brown stepped in and we did'nt miss a beat. Then I look at Denver and I see them and all the different backs that did well in their system. Now we got an undrafted free agent and a second rounder going crazy in our same scheme and make me wonder how good these guys really are. I think they are good nfl backs but I don't think they are irreplaceable.

This year we have a couple of new lineman and I pretty sure we will see Foster and Tate both struggle untill the o-line has some time together.

[IDEXAN]

Tate is faster, more explosive, and runs harder than Foster. On the other hand he's not the pass-pro blocker and certainly not the pass-receiver that Arian is.
And Ben is 2 years younger than Foster and he's only got one year of wear-and-tear NFL mileage on his frame if one is considering trade value ?

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Tate is faster, more explosive, and runs harder than Foster. On the other hand he's not the pass-pro blocker and certainly not the pass-receiver that Arian is.
And Ben is 2 years younger than Foster and he's only got one year of wear-and-tear NFL mileage on his frame if one is considering trade value ?

Wow, and those imbeciles on the Texans staff keep starting Foster.

[Allstar]

2nd sounds good to me, assuming we would let him walk. A first is simply unrealistic.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by Allstar

2nd sounds good to me, assuming we would let him walk. A first is simply unrealistic.

Supposedly they were offered a 1st for him during the last draft.

[Texecutioner]

I don't want Tate going anywhere.


And Cak I have never heard anywhere about us being offered a 1st for Tate. Where did you hear that?

[Allstar]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Supposedly they were offered a 1st for him during the last draft.

I could have sworn we all came to a consensus that the Cleveland rumor was just wild speculation from a unreliable source.