Former Houston Texans star Arian Foster remains on the free agent market this offseason, but the running back should not be out of work for long. Teams like the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and New England Patriots all could be potential fits for the running back for the 2016 season.
Foster was released by the Houston Texans after injuries limited him to just four games last season. The running back is reportedly being "patient" as he tries to find a new home for next season, but Foster should have a number of options. Mike Florio reports that Foster could wait until the draft to push forward about what team he wants to sign with, but there is a chance a deal could happen before that.
Foster is coming off of an Achilles injury and is reportedly doing well in his rehab. If Foster proves that he is healthy, teams should jump at the chance to sign him. The Denver Broncos could be a solid fit for Foster even after signing back C.J. Anderson to a deal. Head coach Gary Kubiak spoke about the potential of adding Foster at the NFL owners meetings. Kubiak said the team will "look at everybody" and Foster is included in that.
"I know how he'll work to get back, I know how driven he is to come back and play," Kubiak said. "We're going to look at everybody who's out there, there's no doubt about that... It's my understanding he's not quite ready yet, he's still got some time yet, so we'll see.... We'll look at everybody."
While Foster has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, the running back has been one of the best players in the league when he is healthy. With that in mind, teams should be looking at Foster as a solid backup option at running back for next season. Foster will not have the pressure of being the No. 1 running back depending on what team he signs with, and that could put him in a position to excel.
The Seattle Seahawks - who lost Marshawn Lynch to retirement this offseason - could be a solid option for Foster, as John Clayton of ESPN said that he is a "back that may work out" behind Thomas Rawls. The Miami Dolphins are also a potential option. The team is reportedly looking at trades for running backs after losing Lamar Miller and failing to sign C.J. Anderson in free agency. But if trades don't work out, Foster could be a backup option.
"We're looking to having more than one guy," Dolphins coach Adam Gase said. "Jay [Ajayi] is going to be a big part of what we're doing. I'd like to have multiple backs. Right now, we don't have a lot of guys on the roster. I think we only have three guys on the roster right now. We're going to need to really develop that stable of backs. Options will present themselves. We just need to stay patient, whether it's through the draft or somebody gets cut free or there's somebody else out there that we need to take a look at."
The Patriots also could be a solid fit for Foster, as the team loves running backs that can catch the ball out of the backfield. Even though the team signed Donald Brown, Bill Belichick could look at Foster as another depth option at the position.
