New coach Bill O’Brien’s offense could have a potent weapon out of the backfield when it’s time to move the ball through the air.
“He’s got really good hand-eye coordination,” O’Brien told reporters on Tuesday regarding tailback Arian Foster. “He’s got good hands. He’s an instinctive player. He has a good idea about how to get open. He enjoys being involved in the passing game, both in protection bases and obviously on routes. He’s had a good OTA period for us.”
That meshes with the optimism Foster already has expressed regarding an offense that involves the running backs in the passing game. O’Brien made it clear that, when looking for guys on the roster who fit his system, the first-year coach needed to look no farther than Foster.
Foster's health is obviously a concern. He has missed 11 games in the last three years, but did play a full season in 2012 and no longer has Ben Tate to worry about. After finishing in the top 2 in fantasy points per game from 2010 to 2012, he was #19 in that category in 2013. There is a new regime in Houston, so Foster's usage is a bit up in the air. Still, he has been one of the most productive RBs in the league when healthy and is a candidate for a bounceback season, especially if he's heavily involved in the passing game. As for his backup, Andre Brown, it appears that he won't be very involved on third down.
Browns news
