I think Tate is gone no matter how many snaps he gets. He will get starters money somewhere else, and I'm sure he wants to get his shot to be the #1 RB for another team. I think it would be wise to give Tate as many carries as possible to showcase him for a trade when the season is over.
I think it depends how the season goes. If you win a Super Bowl, you can trade him and try to replace. If not, but if it's clear you have an incredible shot again...I think you hold on and try and cash in on your window
Even if we win the Super Bowl, we should still try to keep Tate. Of course, if someone offers a great offer (like a first round pick), than you trade him. It's unfortunate we can't keep both Foster and Tate. Tate is an incredible luxury to have. I'm all for keeping Tate till his contract runs up.
Tate is due for a big pay day...and Im sure he would love to be the man...The Texans have the right model right now...it all starts at the OL...having a great OL will make an average back better. Interesting dillemma to have, but thats what winning teams have to deal with...cant keep all the good players...
I'd hate to see him walk for nothing. Kind of reminds me of the situation with michael turner leaving SD a few years back.
I think you just keep him and let him walk unless someone offers you something ridiculous for him after this season.
I don't see much difference in the reps Tate is getting between last year and this year. If you just look at games where foster was healthy, then Tate had single digit carries a game. If anything, we need to make sure Foster is well rested for the playoff run...and every team in the league knows Tate is a stud, so no point in trying to hide that fact. I think we'll just end up keeping Tate for the life of his contract and then having him bounce as a free agent. At least we'll probably get some conditional pick for him too.
Won't Tate be a RFA after next season? Can't the Texans slap a top tender on him and then negotiate a trade for a good pick (or two)? If so, they can have their cake and eat it, too (as to having Tate for an extra year . . . or more).
You won't get enough value back to replace what Tate gives you as a change of pace downhill runner. I'd rather keep him until the end of his rookie-scale and if he walks then you worry about replacing him.
I think he will be an UFA. Only contracts of three years or less are RFAs. He missed a year for injury, but his contract was 4 years.
When was the last time a low mileage potential 3down RB was traded? I can't imagine the Texans getting proper value for him, partly because I don't know what he's worth. We see a lot of teams making decent late round picks or street free agents that flash talent, like A.Brown and D.Richardson, so I'd guess that drives the price down. Maybe the Redskins continue their history of flashy moves, but I think that'd pay off very well for them.
I think it depends on our holes at other positions at the end of the season. If we show basically no weaknesses for the entire season, I think we keep Tate another year and go from there. After all, there's always a risk of Foster getting hurt in the next two seasons which will force the Texans to cut him and start Tate full time. But if there are glaring needs elsewhere, I see the Texans trade Tate for a draft pick at the end of the year and use that to shore up holes elsewhere. That takes away the entire point of trading Tate in the first place, which is simply we don't have the money to pay him starting RB money. You trade AWAY veterans if you have no cap space, not for them.
Keep both. Unless the wheels fall off somehow and this team goes 7-9 misses the playoffs than lets rebuild but I don't see that. Gotta try to win it all when you have a shot you never know how long your window is to do so.
This isn't the NBA, this is the NFL, unless someone is giving you a mid to high 1st or multiple picks, you don't trade a RB that is productive for you just because you have another as well unless your team has a bigger need. Right now, the team doesn't have a big need, aside from potential issues with our offensive line and special teams. Neither of which can't be addressed via FA or the draft. Now our secondary is probably going to take a few hits next offseason with the potential loss of Glover Quin and Brice McCain but we don't need more picks at this time at least.
