Former Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster is no longer unemployed. Monday the Miami Dolphins announced they had signed Foster to a one-year. $1.5 million deal with incentives. If Foster reaches all the marks he’ll collect $3.5 million this season.
.@ArianFoster is ready to go.https://t.co/8EjpC581hM
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) July 18, 2016
Foster was cut by the Houston Texans back on March 3 after spending his entire career with the team. The Texans signed Foster as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Tennessee back in 2009. Foster became one of the premier running backs in the league over the next three seasons with the Texans until injuries began hobbling him in 2013.
Foster did have a bounce-back season in 2014, rushing 260 times for 1,246 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 38 passes for 327 yards and five touchdowns. Last year the injury bug returned, first with a preseason groin pull, then with Foster rupturing his Achilles against, of all teams, the Dolphins last season. He played in just four games.
If Foster is healthy he immediately moves atop the Dolphins’ depth chart. Miami currently has four other running backs in the mix and none of them are serious contenders to take the spot away from Foster. Jay Ajayi carried the ball just 49 times his rookie year for 187 yards and a touchdown. Third-year runner Damien Williams had 16 carries for 59 yards in 2015 and Daniel Thomas, in his fifth season, carried the ball 44 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
The other newcomer free agent to the Dolphins, former Rams running back Isaiah Pead, may be the second best runner on the roster. He barely appeared at all for the Rams last season before getting cut, but he was a key special teams contributor for a couple of seasons.
Justin Durant and the Cowboys get the band back together
With what seems like half their team missing the beginning of the season with NFL substance abuse suspensions, the Dallas Cowboys reached out to one of their former players for help. Monday Justin Durant signed a one-year contract. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Cowboys sign Justin Durant to 1 year deal #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/hUXZ1diWyV
— Cowboy Chuck (@CowboyChuck_DAL) July 18, 2016
Durant’s mercenary journey brings him back to Dallas where he spent two seasons from 2013-2014. Durant’s tenure with the Cowboys was short because he couldn’t stay healthy. He appeared in just 10 games in 2013 and only six in 2014. But with Rolando McClain suspended for the first 10 games of this season, maybe the Cowboys obviously feel like they can get enough out of Durant to make up for it.
Durant had a solid season with the Atlanta Falcons last year, making 82 tackles, forcing one fumble and defending three passes. Durant was originally a second round pick out of Hampton for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007. He spent the first four years of his career in Jacksonville.
Talib says he’s already running
It’s just been a little over a month since Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was shot in the leg outside a strip club in Texas (maybe by his own gun), but he’s not only back on his feet, but is running and should be ready for training camp.
Talib made an appearance at teammate T.J. Ward’s golf charity and spoke to reporters, telling them he was feeling fine and was already running in preparation for the NFL preseason to begin.
Aqib Talib, @BossWard43 and @DeMarcusWare kicking it before teeing off for Ward's celebrity golf event. pic.twitter.com/4cSJsGGcu6
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) July 18, 2016
The NFL is still “investigating” the incident where Talib was shot through the leg, but if the Dallas police can’t find anything to charge him with, I don’t know what the crack investigative staff at the NFL can discover.
Talib had 45 tackles, 13 pass defenses, three interceptions and two touchdowns for the Broncos last season and was a big reason the team even made the playoffs, with some of his turnovers being game-winning plays.
Bailey takes coaching position at West Virginia
Former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey, who was shot twice in the head last year, has decided to put his pro coaching career on hold for a while and return to his Alma mater, the University of West Virginia, as a graduate assistant coach for the football team.
The move will allow Bailey to complete his bachelor’s degree and possibly receive his master’s.
