The Houston Texans won the AFC South division with a 9-7 record, but head coach Bill O'Brien and the Texans' front office both know there is still much work to done before Houston becomes a Super Bowl contender. The Texans were shutout in the AFC wild card round against the Kansas City Chiefs, and struggled to move the ball offensively all season, finishing the year ranked 19th in terms of yards per game.
While Houston has plenty of issues to fix on the offensive side of the ball, a glaring problem for the team has been keeping star running back Arian Foster healthy. Foster missed the beginning of the 2015 season, as he was recovering from groin surgery, and managed to only play in four games before suffering a torn Achilles.
There is no doubt that when healthy Foster is one of the best running backs in the league, but the issue is staying healthy as he has only completed a full 16-game season twice in his career, the last time in 2012. Some believe the Texans could look to move on from Foster this offseason and, if they do, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott could be a potential replacement.
Elliott is considered the top running back by most draft analysts, and some believe the best potential landing spot for him would be Houston. "[Houston] could be a nice fit for Ezekiel Elliott," said NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks, via NFL Network. "A guy who can run, catch and also play with power. He'd also be a nice, solid fit in pass protection. Bill O'Brien needs a bell cow running back for them to go to the next level."
Elliott has already said that he would like to play in Texas, but for a different team - the Dallas Cowboys. The Buckeyes running back is expected to make an immediate impact at the next level, and while it's unknown if he will still be on the board by the time the Texans are selecting with the 22nd pick, some have projected Houston as his potential landing spot.
The Texans clearly have plenty of questions that need to be answered this offseason, and are also likely in the market for a future franchise quarterback. It's unknown what Houston will do with their first round pick, but if Elliott is available he could make a strong fit in the Texans' backfield.
