CLEVELAND – According to reports, the Cleveland Browns have agreed to a two-year deal with former Houston Texans running back Ben Tate.
Tate, a second-round pick out of Auburn, worth a reported $7 million dollars. The deal got finalized on Saturday. A 5’11″, 217-pound running back, he rushed for 771 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games. Dealt with cracked ribs in seven of those starts and got pushed into the fold after a season-ending injury to feature back Arian Foster.
In landing Tate, the Browns fill a big void at running back in Tate, who replaces former first-round pick Trent Richardson and Willis McGahee—Richardson got dealt to the Indianapolis Colts during the season for a first round pick and McGahee signed to fill the starting role, also struggled.
Tate said “I think I can bring you an elite running back.” Went on to say “I’ve learned a lot being behind Arian [Foster]. Definitely, when I’m healthy I think I’m an elite running back in this league, and I feel like I can show my abilities and my numbers and my play will speak for itself, and guys will be able to see that I am a guy who is a top-five running back in this league, which I believe once I get out there and get to show that on a consistent basis.”
He also tweeted this:
Making it 100% official! pic.twitter.com/kvubtY1Udo
— Ben Tate (@BenTateRB) March 15, 2014
— Ben Tate (@BenTateRB) March 15, 2014
— Ben Tate (@BenTateRB) March 15, 2014
With Tate now on board, one of the Browns biggest priorities heading into the 2014 NFL Draft is a complimentary change of pace back, which likely means Carlos Hyde out of Ohio State is no longer a possibility and instead focus on speed in backs such as Auburn’s Tre Mason, Ken State’s Dri Archer, Washington’s Bishop Sankey or Charles Sims out of West Virginia.
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