Isaiah Crowell could be a match for the Texans in free agency

The Houston Texans could be searching for a running back in free agency. Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell is an intriguing prospect to bring to Houston. Crowell could work in conjunction with D’Onta Foreman to build a powerful running game. A power running game can allow Houston to assert themselves offensively and take control of the game from the start.

The Texans will need to rely on a heavy rushing attack next season. This is due to the injury to Deshaun Watson. While Watson is recovering nicely, he will need to be carefully managed to avoid injury. This can be achieved by developing a bruising rushing game. Easing Watson back into the flow of an NFL offense with a productive rushing game would be advantageous. A combination of Foreman and Crowell can do wonders for the Houston offense.

Crowell had a bit of a down year in 2017, failing to eclipse the 900 yard mark. This is due in part to the perplexing offense of the Cleveland Browns. Crowell experienced a down year in 2017. Although he still averaged 4.1 yards per carry, just surpassing the four yard per carry benchmark.  Crowell’s 206 rushes for 853 yards and two touchdowns.

Crowell’s presence in the passing game is often overlooked. When thinking about running backs in Cleveland’s passing offense, Duke Johnson Jr. comes to mind, not Crowell. However Crowell has been effective when catching the ball. Crowell caught 28 passes for 182 yards. While this is a drop in production from his previous season it is still productive for a back that do not expect to be active in the passing game. Crowell caught 40 passes for 319 yards in 2016.

While on the surface Crowell appears to be less prolific than other running backs, there are some positives. Crowell is more than capable of busting out for a long gain. In fact Crowell had the NFL’s longest run in 2016, an 85-yard touchdown. Another positive is that Crowell is always looking to move forward while running the ball. This downhill style allows him to knock over defenders for extra yards. The only downside is that occasionally he leans too far forward and falls over. This is an issue that should not be a deal breaker.

The Texans could move on from Lamar Miller which will provide the opportunity to sign Crowell. Miller is among the highest salaries in the league for running backs and his production does not warrant that. Coupled with the production of Foreman, it may best to go in a different direction. Crowell could be that different direction. There is little doubt that Crowell wants to leave Cleveland and go to a situation that puts him in a situation to win. That situation is in Houston with the Texans.