Ben Tate has emerged from promising backup to capable starter throughout the 2013 season. The Houston Texans running back has helped carry the offense of the struggling team as inconsistencies plagued the quarterback position. A two-man rotation is now down to the third stringer after Tate was placed on injured reserve, putting his future with the Texans in question.
Tate handled the ground with starter Arian Foster for most of the year. Foster then landed on injured reserve after a back issue ended his season early. Tate then emerged as a rightful starter for the Texans until he too was placed on injured reserve after cracking several ribs.
Tate is coming off a 92-yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts as he continued to look more and more like the team MVP, but now Dennis Johnson will start the final two games in his place. However, his 771 yards and four touchdowns in limited time has impressed several suitors that could be interested in bringing Tate on as a full-time starter.
Currently finishing out the final year of his contract, Tate has made it clear that he wants a starting role. He competed with Foster during training camp and noted that sharing the carries was simply not enough for him.
"I would be lying to you if I told you that I embraced the complement role to someone else," Tate said Ross Jones of FOXSports.com. "That's not why I wanted to be in the NFL. That's not my dream to complement someone else. That's not what my attitude or why I work out is to complement someone else."
Tate proved himself worthy of getting consideration as a starter. At 25, his legs are fresh and he knows that a big contract could be coming his way once he returns healthy.
"My time in this game is limited. I'm 25. I'm in my prime for the next three years," Tate said, via Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com. "So I want to be somewhere where I can utilize that. I've said it before, I don't work this hard to be anyone's backup. That's just not why I play this game."
The Texans are unlikely to bring Tate back. They have several contract extensions to work out and Foster is fresh off a $43.5 million contract extension. Houston will also be starting a quarterback search and a head coaching search. Tate is likely going to be dumped into the free agent market. So where could he land?
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport notes that the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders are two teams of "several" that are reportedly interested in Tate. The Browns are currently dealing in a post-Trent Richardson world. They traded the former top draft pick to the Indianapolis Colts and have been working with veteran Willis McGahee who will be gone at the end of the season. They are predicted to have over $20 million in available cap space.
The Raiders will be dumping Darren McFadden at the end of the year after the running back struggled with durability in his time. With just Rashad Jennings in the backfield, Tate could be a welcomed presence.