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D’Onta Foreman

Colts Waive RB D’Onta Foreman With Injury Settlement

August 24th, 2019 at 6:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

D’Onta Foreman‘s time with the Colts is officially over. The team has waived the young running back from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL radio (Twitter link).

This is a departure from what we initially heard after Foreman went down with a torn biceps. The Colts placed him on injured reserve, but it was reported that they planned to stash him on IR with the hopes of bringing him back to compete for a role in 2020. It’s unclear whether Indy changed their mind, or if Foreman and his representatives were able to force his way out so that he could try and play for a new team this season.

Unfortunately, Foreman’s once promising career has been derailed by injuries. The Texans drafted him in the third round in 2017, and he showed a lot of potential as a rookie. A lot of people thought he would eventually take over for Lamar Miller as Houston’s starter, but then he tore his Achilles toward the end of the season.

He had complications while recovering from it, and ended up playing in only one game in 2018. The Texans threw in the towel on the Texas product earlier this offseason, and he was quickly swooped up by the Colts. Shortly after signing, he went down with his latest serious injury. Here’s to hoping that Foreman can get back to full health wherever he ends up next.

AFC South Notes: Texans, Robinson, Colts

August 23rd, 2019 at 5:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumblings about the Texans attempting a last-ditch Jadeveon Clowney trade have cooled down, with the team unlikely to recoup too much value for the three-time Pro Bowler after the franchise tag extension deadline passed (and with Clowney being able to effectively block a trade by virtue of not signing his tender). The last report on Clowney’s return indicated he was expected to report back between the start of next week and the end of the preseason. Clowney also has a grievance rumored, seeking to be tagged as a defensive end ($17.1MM) instead of as an outside linebacker ($15.9MM). But the former No. 1 overall pick should be fighting to ensure the Texans cannot tag him again in 2020, Joel Corry of CBS Sports writes. However, with this prohibition clause having not occurred since 2008 (Albert Haynesworth with the Titans), Corry predicts the sixth-year Texans edge defender will fail on this front and end up being tagged again in 2020.

Here is the latest news from the AFC South, shifting to a player who will draw Clowney blocking assignments this season:

  • Recently deemed iffy for Week 1, Cam Robinson appears a good bet to suit up against the Chiefs in two-plus weeks. The Jaguars‘ left tackle starter took snaps with the first unit in the team’s third preseason game, with Phillip Heilman of The Athletic tweeting Robinson joined the likely starting line of Andrew Norwell, Brandon Linder, Will Richardson and Jawaan Taylor on Thursday night. Robinson tore one of his ACLs in September of last year and spent the next several months rehabbing.
  • D’Onta Foreman will not have a chance to exact any revenge on the Texans this season, with the now-Colts running back set to miss the season. But the Colts still have him in their plans. A torn biceps will shelve Foreman, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets, but the team will not opt for an injury settlement. The Colts plan to stash the former third-round pick on IR and have him learn their system in time for a hopeful 2020 debut in Indianapolis.
  • While Matt Kalil was recently named the Texans‘ starting left tackle, Wilson adds that Roderick Johnson is “firmly” in the conversation to start against the Saints in Week 1. The Texans have held Kalil out of recent practices for conservation purposes, per Bill O’Brien. Kalil missed all of last season with a knee injury. Encouraging work in games and practices has allowed Johnson, a former Browns fifth-round pick and Texans waiver claim, to improve to the point of being a first-stringer. The Florida State product appears set to receive the first crack if Kalil cannot go, pointing to first-round rookie Tytus Howard staying at left guard.
  • Titans running back David Fluellen underwent knee surgery recently, but Paul Kuharsky (of PaulKuharsky.com) notes the backup is expected to be ready by Week 1. Fluellen is expected to keep his job as Tennessee’s No. 3 back.

Colts Sign Charcandrick West

August 19th, 2019 at 2:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts placed new running back D’Onta Foreman and wide receiver Daurice Fountain on injured reserve while waiving safety Derrick Kindred, according to a team announcement. To take their spots, the Colts added veteran running back Charcandrick West, safety Kai Nacua, undrafted free agent tailback Marquis Young. 

The nature of Foreman’s injury is not yet known, but it’s a rough break for the former Texans RB as he was looking to reassert himself while getting revenge on his former team twice this season. The 236-pound back took only seven handoffs last season, gaining minus-1 yard. But, as Lamar Miller‘s top backup in 2017, Foreman amassed 327 rushing yards (4.2 per tote) and two touchdowns.

West has been toggled on and off of the Chiefs’ roster as of late and posted negative rushing yards in 2018. However, he’s flashed promise, including the 2015 season in which he ran for 634 yards.

Colts Claim RB D’Onta Foreman

August 5th, 2019 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

D’Onta Foreman will have a second chance in the AFC South. The Colts claimed the third-year running back off waivers from the Texans, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The former third-round pick will join a Colts backfield that just lost Spencer Ware. Seeing his career sidetracked by an Achilles’ tendon tear in late 2017, Foreman will venture from the defending AFC South champions to the team that beat the Texans in Round 1 of the playoffs last season.

The 236-pound back took only seven handoffs last season, gaining minus-1 yard. As Lamar Miller‘s top backup in 2017, Foreman amassed 327 rushing yards (4.2 per tote) and two touchdowns. Foreman spent the first part of the ’18 season on the Texans’ PUP list and has yet to prove he has surmounted one of the most troublesome injuries a running back can encounter.

Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines head up the Indianapolis backfield. The Colts waived second-year running back Keith Ford, per Mike Chappell of CBS4 (on Twitter), to make room for Foreman.

While the Texans reportedly were not pleased with Foreman’s work ethic as of late, the Texas alum has a decent chance to stick on the Colts’ roster after the preseason. But that’s obviously not a given. Ware’s placement on the Colts’ reserve/PUP list ends his season, at least his chances of playing for the 2019 Colts, so the Chris Ballard-headed front office making this claim adds up.

Texans Waive D’Onta Foreman

August 4th, 2019 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

The Texans have waived running back D’Onta Foreman, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter). This is obviously a disappointing result for Foreman and for Houston, who once believed that the Texas product — the 89th overall pick of the 2017 draft — had the potential to become the club’s No. 1 back.

Obviously, that never materialized, thanks in large part to an Achilles tear Foreman suffered in the second half of his rookie campaign. He had played sparingly to that point, but he showed some promise, racking up 327 yards on 78 carries (good for 4.2 YPC) and two touchdowns. He also caught six passes for another 83 yards.

But he tore his Achilles on a 34-yard touchdown run in Week 11 and spent the rest of 2017 on IR. He spent most of 2018 on the PUP list and was finally activated in December, but he carried the ball only seven times for -1 yard.

He appears to be completely healthy now, but the Texans were not happy with his work habits, and head coach Bill O’Brien was clearly less than enamored with Foreman. A reporter recently asked O’Brien about the third RB spot on the team’s roster — the reporter assumed, fairly, that Lamar Miller and Foreman were locks for the first two spots — and O’Brien replied, “who’re the first two?” (Twitter link via McClain). O’Brien then acknowledged that Miller was the starter while the backup competition was wide open.

The Texans may look to add another RB in the coming days, but for right now, the other backs on the roster are Josh Ferguson, Buddy Howell, and Taiwan Jones, along with several UDFAs. It’s not a particularly inspiring bunch, which makes the decision to waive Foreman even more telling. McClain notes in a separate tweet that the Texans will not become a potential landing spot for disgruntled Chargers back Melvin Gordon, as the club is focused on adding a backup for Miller.

It would not be surprising to see a team put in a waiver claim on Foreman, but even if he clears waivers, he should have another opportunity soon.

In a corresponding move, the Texans have signed LB Gimel President.

Texans Activate RB D’Onta Foreman From PUP

December 4th, 2018 at 4:54pm CST by Ben Levine

D’Onta Foreman is back. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Texans have activated the running back from the physically unable to perform list. To make room on the roster, the team has cut safety Natrell Jamerson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

The 22-year-old running back tore his Achilles towards the end of last season, and he’s spent this entire campaign on the PUP. While the Texans were probably hoping that the 2017 third-rounder would take on a bigger role during his sophomore campaign, they’ve been fine rolling with the duo of Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue.

Foreman is the biggest bruiser of the bunch, and the Texans will surely want to see what they’ve got in the former Texas Longhorns standout. The running back looked solid during his rookie campaign, compiling 327 rushing yards on 78 carries (4.2-yard average). He added another six receptions for 83 yards, and he even returned a single kickoff. The Texans will likely ease him back into game action, but there’s a chance he could supplant Miller come playoff time if the veteran is struggling.

Jamerson was a fifth-round pick by the Saints in this past year’s draft, but he was cut by New Orleans at the end of the preseason. He soon caught on with the Texans, and he went on to compile seven tackles and one pass defended in 10 games. With the rookie out of the picture, the Texans will move forward with Justin Reid, Michael Tyson, and Andre Hal as their reserve safeties.

Returned To Practice: Foreman, Canady

November 14th, 2018 at 9:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With more than half of the 2018 campaign in the books, NFL clubs are beginning to activate injured players who were previously placed on various reserve lists (injured reserve, non-football injury list, physically unable to perform list, etc.). A couple of notable players who were on said lists returned to practice this week, and we’ll take a closer look at their respective situations below:

  • Texans running back D’Onta Foreman returned to practice on Wednesday, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Foreman, 22, tore his Achilles last November and has taken a full year to recover — he began the 2018 regular season on the PUP list and has resided there ever since. A third-round pick in the 2017 draft, Foreman managed 78 attempts for 327 yards and two touchdowns in his abbreviated rookie campaign. Houston’s rushing offense currently ranks just 29th in efficiency, per Football Outsiders, and while much of those struggles can be attributed to a poor offensive line, Foreman could be part of an improvement while seeing snaps behind Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue. Now that he’s back at practice, Blue can be activate at any point during the next three weeks.
  • The Ravens have designated cornerback Maurice Canady to return from injured reserve, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Canady, a 2016 draft selection, has actually been placed on IR in each of his three NFL campaigns. Last season, a thigh issue — the same injury that knocked him out earlier this year — was the culprit, but Canady eventually came off IR in November. Baltimore, of course, already has top-end talent at cornerback, with Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, and Tavon Young seeing most of the snaps in the Ravens’ secondary, but Canady could see special teams action if he comes back. Like Foreman, Canady’s return to practice opens a three-week window during which Baltimore must either place him on its 53-man roster or leave him on IR for the rest of the year.

D’Onta Foreman To Return To Practice

November 4th, 2018 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Texans RB D’Onta Foreman is expected to return to practice this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Foreman has been on the PUP list since the spring as he continues to battle back from a torn Achilles that prematurely ended his rookie campaign last November.

It was an especially tough blow for Foreman, as he suffered the injury during the best game of his brief NFL career, a performance that saw him carry the ball ten times for 65 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clinching score. A third-round pick out of Texas, Foreman was drafted to be the team’s long-term answer at running back.

And he may still be the player Houston hoped for, though veteran Lamar Miller is enjoying a strong 2018 season with a 4.5 yards per carry average on 113 totes. But despite Miller’s contributions, the Texans’ running game as a whole is just 23rd in the league in overall efficiency, per Football Outsiders, so the team would surely love to get Foreman back in the mix.

If and when he suits up, Foreman would likely take over most of Alfred Blue‘s touches. Blue has appeared in all eight games for Houston this season, including one start. He has 79 carries for 258 yards, which amounts to an unimpressive 3.3 YPC average that is roughly in line with his 3.6 career mark.

Once Foreman returns to practice, the team will have 21 days to decide whether to add him to the roster. The Texans have won five in a row and have established themselves as heavy favorites to win the AFC South.

AFC Notes: Henderson, Broncos, Bengals, Erickson, Texans, Foreman

September 8th, 2018 at 9:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Carlos Henderson’s Broncos career got off to a bad start and never recovered. First, he missed his entire rookie season with a hand injury. Then he was arrested, which ultimately resulted in a one game suspension for the young receiver. Then Denver drafted two more receivers in this year’s draft.

On top of it all, Henderson was away from the Broncos most of this offseason due to a personal issue. All of it resulted in the Broncos cutting Henderson, the 82nd pick of the 2017 draft, before he ever played a snap with the team. But Denver isn’t giving up on him yet, signing Henderson to their practice squad. Henderson reportedly met with John Elway just before cut-down day to plead his case, and after that the team agreed to give him another chance according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.

Here’s more from the AFC:

AFC South Notes: Texans, Watt, Colts

August 24th, 2018 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

J.J. Watt continues to insist he will be on the field with his Texans teammates when they open the regular season, but the severe injury he sustained last season — a tibeal plateau fracture — did not have doctors 100 percent certain the three-time defensive player of the year would play again.

“They weren’t even sure if the surgery would work and if he would be able to run anymore. That’s what was so scary for us,” said Watt’s girlfriend, pro soccer player Kealia Ohai, via Jenny Vrentas of SI.com. “An ACL is difficult, but it’s pretty straightforward. With J.J.’s, because of the type of injury, I remember the doctors were not exactly sure how his leg and his knee would react to [the surgery]. From the beginning, he wanted to work hard and come back. But for a while, [the question] was, would he be able to come back and play at the same level, and support that much weight? Will his leg ever be the same again?”

Watt’s returned to Texans practice, taking part in team drills, but he’s now missed 24 games over the past two seasons. It’s uncertain how the 29-year-old defensive end will look after this extensive rehab process.

Here’s the latest from the South divisions:

  • D’Onta Foreman likely will not be joining Watt and other healthy Texans in Week 1. The second-year running back is likely to land on the Reserve/PUP list to start the season, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle notes. Foreman currently resides on the Active/PUP list, but if Houston places him on the regular-season version of the PUP, he must sit at least six weeks. Alfred Blue will take Foreman’s place as Lamar Miller‘s primary backup. Foreman tore an Achilles’ tendon in November.
  • The Colts‘ backfield might not have its projected leader back by the season’s first Sunday. Marlon Mack‘s nursing a hamstring injury, and it’s “no slam dunk” he’ll be available for the opener, Frank Reich said (via Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star, on Twitter). While the Colts are hopeful the second-year back can return by then and take his place with the starting offense, they may have to wait a bit for that to occur. The Colts will also be without Robert Turbin for the first four games of the season due to a suspension; they have rookies Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines, along with the well-traveled Christine Michael, in their backfield behind Mack.
  • The Jets contacted the Jaguars this week regarding the trade availability of Dante Fowler.
  • Derrick Morgan appears likely to miss the start of the Titans’ season due to meniscus surgery.
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