The Texans have used a host of veteran running backs this season. Some remain on the roster, while others are now elsewhere. The team identified Rex Burkhead as one it wants to keep around beyond this season.
The ninth-year veteran back agreed to terms on an extension, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Burkhead’s new deal is set to run through the 2022 season.
Although Burkhead spent the first eight seasons of his career as a role player and a valued backup, the Texans have turned to him as their top runner in recent weeks. In Week 16 against the Chargers he delivered a career-best performance, rushing for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. That yardage total topped Burkhead’s previous single-game best by 30 yards. After logging no more than four carries in a game through the first 10 weeks of the season, Burkhead has totaled 102 since. The Nebraska alum has gained 403 yards on 110 carries this season.
A former Bengals sixth-round pick, Burkhead rushed for just 31 yards over his first three seasons and played behind Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill. Burkhead signed with the Patriots in 2017 and became a more prominent contributor, scoring eight touchdowns for the 2017 AFC champion Pats outfit and helping their 2018 squad win Super Bowl LIII. The Texans gave Burkhead a one-year, $1.5MM deal in June.
Burkhead, 31, joined Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and David Johnson as seasoned vets in Houston’s backfield this year. Only Burkhead and Johnson remain on the team, and the previous Texans regime famously brought in Johnson. The ex-Cardinal All-Pro’s contract expires after this season. So does recent waiver claim Royce Freeman‘s. The Texans will need to make new plans at running back for 2022, but Burkhead is in line to be part of the team’s next backfield at age 32.
Another Bengals that should have never got away , love the way he plays
And the Bengals have a few players on their team that never should have gotten away from their previous teams. It’s called free agency and the fact you can’t keep everyone. All teams have them
Yeah, but they never gave Burkhead the reps that he should have gotten behind Hill and Bernard. He made his plays count, and was younger than them at the time. Then Cincinnati let him walk to sign a low deal with New England and he was very efficient for them. And it wasn’t a surprise.
I’m glad Burkhead is finally getting a chance to get significant time. He was great at Nebraska and made the most of his reps in New England in a versatile way. Unfortunately, it’s going to be tougher sledding in Houston for the foreseeable future.
He’s not even averaging 4 yards a carry. He’s strictly a backup at best
He didn’t even get backup reps in Cincy. With that said, anyone running behind that Texans line is already at a disadvantage from the get go. Houston has, according to PFF, the 30th ranked line out of the 32. They’re averaging 0.7 yards before contact on running plays right, which is by far the worst in the league. So, the backs aren’t even getting three quarters of a yard out of the backfield before they’re hit.
Burkhead is averaging 3.7 yards a carry right now. So that’s, on average, three yards he’s accounting on his own on every run on average. I’d say that the guy has earned his reps.
Wow.