Houston Texans: Carlos Hyde’s free agency gamble ended up backfiring

Former Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde gamble didn’t go as planned in this year’s free agency period.

Running back Carlos Hyde is leaving the Houston Texans after one season and signing with the Seattle Seahawks to a one year deal worth up to $4 million according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Texans got a steal acquiring Hyde from the Kansas City Chiefs before the start of the 2019 regular season in exchange for 2018 third-round offensive lineman Martinas Rankin.

Hyde was looking to rehabilitate his value with the Texans after signing with the Chiefs to a one year deal worth $2.8 million. He dealt with his fair share of bouncing around the league after his rookie deal concluded with the San Francisco 49ers. He signed a three-year deal worth $15 million with the Cleveland Browns.

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However, his time with the Browns was shortlived as he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first year of his new contract. His stint in Jacksonville wasn’t much better as the second option on the depth chart behind Leonard Fournette, and he was waived at the end of the 2018 season.

Houston was in need of a running back entering the 2019 season after losing Lamar Miller for the year due to an ACL injury, and Hyde demonstrated he was capable of handling the role as the starter. Hyde had a career year rushing for 1,070 yards on 245 attempts and averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He also finished with six rushing touchdowns and averaged 66.9  rushing yards in his lone year in Houston.

Reaching the 1,000 rushing yard milestone for the time in his career was impressive given the fact that he was nursing a shoulder injury for the majority of the season. At 29, Hyde was looking to cash in one more time after turning down a two-year deal worth $10 million that the Texans reportedly offered him. Texans didn’t take long in looking for his replacement as they acquired David Johnson from the Arizona Cardinals.

The biggest issue with Hyde’s gamble is that he ended up going to a team that will offer him a smaller role in Seattle. Going from the Chiefs to the Texans was one of the best outcomes for Hyde ‘s career as he was utilized as a starter, and Bill O’Brien valued him as a first and second down running back.

Now Hyde will have to make a name for himself once again as he is entering his fourth team in the last three years.