Ben Tate Medically Cleared

[GP]

Originally Posted by michaelm

You do love to grand stand don't you?

This is all I read of your post, so don't sit there and gloat like a big boy thinking I respect you enough to read all of your drivel.

I am grand standing? LOL.

I never sought you out. You sought ME out. So I think we know who is grand standing. There are those who state opinions, and there are those who like to crack wise on those who state opinions. You need me a helluva' lot more than I need you, pal. As proven by your tactics.

YOU deviated from the discussion. YOU went personal. YOU added nothing to the mix, other than YOU grand standing and making a false statement about my post history. And I don't want any messages from any mods over this. YOU singled me out, YOU went after me. Not the other way around.

I never went after anybody on here with my post. I say a lot less about this stuff than Herv, for example, and yet you choose me. Get off my ass and move on.

[GP]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

I'm not suggesting starting him or anything. Just saying keep him on the depth chart even as #4 RB (if you can re-sign Ward). He's cheap, he has become a good blocker and catches well. I don't see upgrading him without a draft pick we can better use elsewhere.

It's not even a remote possibility as #4, as far as I am concerned.

He runs into piles and stays there like he's on a treadmill, usually makes his cutback to one side (Thunderkyss caught this and I watched and saw the same thing in future Slaton plays), fumbles even a kickoff return, and in general just looks like even HE knows he doesn't belong anymore.

If he's at #4, why is he here? I have to believe that should be the biggest sign that it's time to move on and let him go somewhere else. I think he's clamming up, I think he knows he's toast here. He'd HAVE to see three guys go down to injury in order to get the lion's share of carries.

When basically all you do is return kickoffs, and not really excel at it, then you know you're all but done on a team. Maybe he could go somewhere and reinvent himself. I'm not saying he's done 100%. I think he's done h-e-r-e. Happens al the time. Ward was done in TB, and look what he did here.

I think another UDFA (Jeremiah Johnson-type of guy) could add more value at #4 than Slaton is.

[ArlingtonTexan]

Originally Posted by GP

This is all I read of your post, so don't sit there and gloat like a big boy thinking I respect you enough to read all of your drivel.

I am grand standing? LOL.

I never sought you out. You sought ME out. So I think we know who is grand standing. There are those who state opinions, and there are those who like to crack wise on those who state opinions. You need me a helluva' lot more than I need you, pal. As proven by your tactics.

YOU deviated from the discussion. YOU went personal. YOU added nothing to the mix, other than YOU grand standing and making a false statement about my post history. And I don't want any messages from any mods over this. YOU singled me out, YOU went after me. Not the other way around.

I never went after anybody on here with my post. I say a lot less about this stuff than Herv, for example, and yet you choose me. Get off my ass and move on.

I am requesting that both of walk away from this thread and quite honestly don't respond to each other future since it this is not the first time and is obviously personal. Thanks in Advance.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by HJam72

I don't know how it finished, but Ward actually had a higher AYPC than Foster for much of the year. Ward may be a starter somewhere else soon though.

I'm usually all for giving players a chance, a second chance, and even a third. But if Ward was a starter, I think we'd know by now. Sure, you have your late bloomers, your Thomas Joneses, your Cedric Bensons, etc...

I'd also much rather have kept Ward than Slaton. But if Ward don't play special teams..... wait, what the hell am I saying?

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by GP

Yeah, it would be par for the course if the Texans let Ward walk and kept Slaton.

We could finally have three capable RBs (Foster, Ward, and Tate) providing crazy depth at a position (RB) that you can't afford to be weak at in the NFL. It would be just like the Texans to get stoopid and somehow lose Ward by thinking they got Foster and Tate now. Oh, and the mighty Steve Slaton who everybody knows is going to emerge victorious in 2011. Barf.

At worst, you retain Ward and use him as trade bait throughout the camp and first part of reg season. Can the Texans do it? Can they actually use a very tradeable commodity, for once in their lives, and get something more than a 4th rounder? I doubt it.

Ward is an unrestricted FA. The Texans have no say in what that man will do. Chances are, after the season he had, other teams will be willing to give him a chance to be the starter. If I were Kubiak & Ward asked me if he would compete for the starting job, I would laugh my ass off.

What I would do, is go back to the FA board, or even the draft & look for someone to compete with Tate & Slaton for the #2 spot. Maybe we find another Ward...

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Slaton's contract:

signing bonus: $664,000
(2008) $295,000
(2009) $385,000
(2010) $470,000
(2011) $555,000

At such a bargain, how can Bob resist taking a chance of letting go a "superstar?"

Because otherwise, he'll go to Tennessee & Babin us.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Brandon420tx

Based on Slatons performances last year I'd rate him as a 4th RB,

Slaton had a pretty good year, just not a lot of carries. He did well, when we gave him the ball though.

[redwhiteANDblue]

Offtopic


Ben Tate is on "Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL" tonight at 9 on NFLnetwork. Looking forward to seeing that!

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by GP

He runs into piles and stays there like he's on a treadmill, usually makes his cutback to one side (Thunderkyss caught this and I watched and saw the same thing in future Slaton plays), fumbles even a kickoff return, and in general just looks like even HE knows he doesn't belong anymore.

I think another UDFA (Jeremiah Johnson-type of guy) could add more value at #4 than Slaton is.

For the record, that was 2009, I didn't see the same thing in 2010.

I also don't believe we'll go into the season with 4 running backs. If Slaton doesn't cut it as #3, he'll be sitting on the couch waiting for us to call him.

If the RB UDFA class is as good as the Foster/Jeremiah class, he may never get that call.

I would, however, be disappointed if we don't bring serious, more than likely will replace Steve Slaton, competition in this off-season.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by drs23

Doc, do you still feel the recovery potential for Tate to be in 85-95 % range?

Being medically cleared really doesn't tell you much about his potential for future performance.......only that he has attained about 85% strength in the affected leg compared to the uninjured leg, and that he is released to hard contact. This type of injury takes up to 2 years to maximally recover. How he actually performs on the field is not totally predictable due to the extensive ligament damage that typically accompanies such an injury. His ability to legitemately "return to action" is approximately 85-95%. I would expect that, in time, he will have close to the same potential to return to preinjury potential, but maybe not until nearer the mid to end of the 2011 season (if there is one).

[drs23]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Being medically cleared really doesn't tell you much about his potential for future performance.......only that he has attained about 85% strength in the affected leg compared to the uninjured leg, and that he is released to hard contact. This type of injury takes up to 2 years to maximally recover. How he actually performs on the field is not totally predictable due to the extensive ligament damage that typically accompanies such an injury. His ability to legitemately "return to action" is approximately 85-95%. I would expect that, in time, he will have close to the same potential to return to preinjury potential, but maybe not until nearer the mid to end of the 2011 season (if there is one).

Thank you, Doc.

[Wolf]

Tate medically cleared, "very hungry" for 2011

Texans running back Ben Tate was given a clean bill of health by doctors on Tuesday, six months after an ankle injury ended his rookie season before it started.

It took almost three months after surgery just for Tate to be able to walk without assistance. He started running a month later and was able to run without a limp about two weeks ago. Now, the early mornings and long days of rehab at Reliant Stadium are finally behind him.

“It feels good just to be able to hear those words from the doctor: ‘You’re done with rehab,’” Tate said. “It’s just like a small burden lifted off my shoulders a little bit. I’ve been going for so long just trying to get my ankle back right, and just to be able to hear that, it feels good.”

Tate was drafted out of Auburn in the second round, higher than any running back in Texans history, at 58th overall. The Texans liked his combination of size and speed, hoping he could help improve a running game that ranked 30th in the league in 2009.

That was before Arian Foster’s All-Pro season, but the Texans’ expectations for Tate are still high. Running backs coach Chick Harris called his recovery “exciting for our entire organization.”

“It’s a credit to Ben that he worked his tail off,” Harris said. “And our medical staff, they did a great job in rehab. He followed all the directions and did extra. He’s been with the program all the way through the season, being at games, coming to some meetings and making sure that he was always around us, asking questions, understanding the climate and what you have to do to prepare for a game.”

The last game that Tate actually prepared to play in was his first one, the Texans’ preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 14. He was hurt on his second carry of the game, a 12-yard gain in the third quarter, when he was tackled by linebacker Darryl Washington.

“I remember everything about that play,” Tate said. “I remember the play call. I remember making the cut and making the lineman miss and stepping out of it and thinking, ‘You turn on the jets, you might could take this a little ways.’ And then I just remember feeling somebody, kind of like a last-ditch effort – he barely got my ankle, but when he got it, it just kind of felt funny. And then everyone else hopped on and pulled me down, and right then I knew something wasn’t right. I didn’t think it was going to be this bad, but I just knew something wasn’t right with my ankle.”

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/ar...2-6d598cf7b71d

[srrono]

with 18 game season plus playoffs I think you need 3 capable RBs Foster Ward Tate and some depth on practice squad
30 rb carries a game for 18 games is 540 team carries

[Brisco_County]

I've always liked Ward as a player, but his asking price won't be worth it to us. He had a good enough season in Houston to make more money somewhere else.

As mentioned earlier, Slaton is a good blocker and can catch. We're still getting some good value out of him for his price. And who knows, he may eventually get his head on straight and once again become a reliable back.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Brisco_County

I've always liked Ward as a player, but his asking price won't be worth it to us. He had a good enough season in Houston to make more money somewhere else.

As mentioned earlier, Slaton is a good blocker and can catch. We're still getting some good value out of him for his price. And who knows, he may eventually get his head on straight and once again become a reliable back.

I don't think his reliability was an issue in 2010. He may have done something special if he had more opportunity, his ypc was as good as Wards & Fosters.

He just looked like crap returning kicks, but the blocking was pretty ****ty.

I'm really not too high on the guy, but I think Kubiak did a poor job mixing it up with the three guys we had. It's not like Foster was getting a ton of carries, so it's not like I'm asking to take carries from Foster, just a little more dedication to the run rum Kubes.

If Tate is healthy, we could have something special with the three guys we've got, but I would like to see real competition for both Slaton & Tate in camp.



If there is a camp.