THURSDAY, 3:20pm: The deal is official, per the Texans on Twitter.
WEDNESDAY, 2:26pm: The Texans’ offensive backfield for the 2016 season is taking shape. After reaching an agreement with quarterback Brock Osweiler, the team is now set to sign running back Lamar Miller when the new league year begins, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). According to Schefter, Miller will sign a four-year, $26MM deal that features $14MM in fully guaranteed money.
Miller, who turns 25 in April, is one of the most talented running backs on the market this year. The fact that he was somewhat underused in Miami may have frustrated Dolphins fans, but it could increase his appeal to his new team, since his 638 career rushing attempts don’t represent a huge workload.
In 2015, Miller ran for 872 yards and eight touchdowns on just 194 carries, adding another 397 yards and two TDs through the air on 47 receptions. His lone 1,000-yard season came in 2014, when he piled up 1,099 yards on the ground, with an impressive 5.1 yards per carry average.
According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), Miller could have accepted an offer from another team that would have been worth $7MM annually over five years, but he preferred the shorter term. Given the way NFL contracts are structured, it’s unlikely he would have seen that fifth year anyway.
Miller will take over in Houston’s backfield for Arian Foster, who was cut earlier this month by the Texans. In Miami, Jay Ajayi appears to be the frontrunner for carries with Miller gone, though the team figures to address the position in free agency or the draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.