Perhaps Nick Caserio is an avid trading card collector with a propensity to fall in love with the stat line on the back of his favorite players’ cards. That is the initial sentiment when you peruse the running back transactions made by the Texans’ general manager this offseason.
At a time when most teams are acquiring young runners through the draft as mid-to-late-round selections or undrafted free agents, the Texans have added some geezers and castoffs to a running back room that already featured veteran David Johnson. That is not a slight or dismissal of the notable accomplishments of Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead, but it is hard to imagine the Texans relying on a single player to carry the load as the team’s designated RB1.
Sure, the thought of having three former Pro Bowlers (Ingram, Johnson and Lindsay) with 1,000-yard seasons on their respective résumés is impressive, but can any of the all-stars return to form in H-Town? Most importantly, are they capable of performing at a high level on a suspect offense that could be without the services of a franchise quarterback with All-Pro potential.
If Deshaun Watson is not in the lineup, the Texans will need to alleviate the pressure on Tyrod Taylor, Jeff Driskel or Davis Mills by relying on the running game or a quick-rhythm aerial attack with the running backs featured prominently in the game plan. The approach could resemble the scripts that helped the Patriots dominate the AFC for almost two decades.
In fact, the Texans’ running back-heavy roster reminds me of the complementary backfields the Patriots have utilized for years. Those teams under Bill Belichick were nightmares for fantasy football players due to the random running back rotations. The unpredictable nature of New England’s playing-time patterns was driven, at least in part, by favorable matchups. If the Patriots wanted to play ground-and-pound football against an opponent, the mudders would get top priority. If they opted for a spread-and-shred approach, the diminutive pass catchers would dot the marquee.
Considering the Pats’ success with a revolving door at running back, I understand why Caserio is exploring every low-cost option on the market for the Texans as he assembles a stable of running backs with complementary games. Whether it is opting to ride the hot hand each week or building snowflake game plans that change the RB rotation based on matchups, the Texans are hoping their collection of backs can give David Culley and Co. enough firepower to put some points on the board this season.
