Brock Osweiler predictably earned all of the attention Wednesday after agreeing to a $72 million contract with the Houston Texans, but the quarterback was not the only big addition to Bill O'Brien's offense.
The Texans also added former Dolphins running back Lamar Miller on a four-year, $26 million deal. He's slotted to replace Arian Foster as Houston's workhorse.
"The Texans are getting a home-run hitter, a guy who can make a play anywhere on the field and a guy who can protect the quarterback," Miller told The Houston Chronicles' Aaron Wilson in a telephone interview Wednesday. "I'm excited to be a part of the Texans family. I just feel good to get this huge opportunity. I've been putting in all of this hard work and doing this ever since I was a little kid, and now it's all paying off. It's a great day."
The Texans saw that home-run hitter in person last year, when Houston's D couldn't corral Miller in a Week 7 loss. The running back went off for 175 yards on 14 carries, including a 85-yard touchdown run that day.
The biggest question for Miller is whether he can handle a heavy workload. Entering free agency, the soon-to-be 25-year-old tailback insisted that he wanted a chance to be a 20-carry-a-game runner. Multiple coaching staffs in Miami deemed Miller's frame too slight for that kind of heft.
He should get the chance in Houston to prove those coaches wrong.
"I think it would be a great combination with Osweiler, with all of us," Miller said. "Me and (DeAndre) Hopkins, we'll be a great combo. I'm excited to be a part of what we're going to build down in Houston. It's going to be a lot of fun."
If Osweiler and Miller lift the Texans' offense even close to their defense's level, Houston has a shot to make real noise in January. As we sit today, however, those are gargantuan ifs.
