Texans Release Longtime Running Back Arian Foster

The Houston Texans have informed 7-year veteran Arian Foster that he will be released.  Foster has spent his entire career in Houston since they signed him out of the University of Tennessee as an undrafted free agent in 2009.  He thanked the organization on Instagram.

Texans Parting Ways With Arian Foster

Foster was the NFL rushing leader in 2010, when he ran 327 times for 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns while also catching 66 passes for 604 yards and 2 touchdowns.  His 2,200 yards broke former Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes‘ record for most yards from scrimmage by an undrafted player.

Following his breakout 2010 campaign Foster would experience continued success for the next two seasons, running for a combined 2,648 yards and 25 touchdowns.

2012 was his last season playing all 16 games, per ESPN Stats & Info, Foster missed 8 games in 2013 because of back surgery, 3 games in 2014 due to a groin injury, injury on the groin caused him to miss 3 additional games in 2015, and Foster missed 9 games this past season because of a torn achilles.

Despite his injuries in 2014, Foster was able to run for over 1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Foster is the Texans’ career rushing leader in career yards (6,472) and touchdowns (54).  He was due to make $6.5 million in base salary and had a $9 million cap number.  By releasing him the Texans save around $6.6 million.

Texans Release Veterans Moore and Graham

The running back wasn’t the only veteran player the Texans parted ways with.  The team also released free safety Rahim Moore and tight end Garrett Graham.

Moore was drafted in in the second round of the 2011 draft out of UCLA by the Denver Broncos. He is probably most known for giving up the “Mile High Miracle,” a 70-yard touchdown from Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco to Jacoby Jones with under a minute left in the 2011-12 AFC Championship Game. The Ravens won in overtime 38-35 and went on to win Super Bowl XLVII against San Francisco.  Moore signed a three year, $12 million deal with Houston in March 2015, but was benched and inactive after the first seven games.

Graham was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2010 Draft out of the University of Wisconsin, where he was a First Team All-Big 10 selection by the media and Second Team by the coaches.  Graham’s best year was 2013, when he caught 49 passes for 545 yards and 5 touchdowns, all career highs. He only managed 22 receptions and 2 touchdowns the past two seasons.

By cutting Moore and Graham, the Texans will save around $5.8 million.