According to Mark Lane of USA Today on Thursday, the Houston Texans have signed running back Rex Burkhead of Winchester, Kentucky to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. The Texans become Burkhead’s third National Football League team. He has previously played with the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots.
Last season in New England, Burkhead had 67 rushes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 25 catches for 192 yards and three more touchdowns.
In Burkhead’s career, he has had 340 rushes for 1401 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has 130 catches for 1144 yards and eight touchdowns. Burkhead was with the Bengals from 2013 to 2016, and with the Patriots from 2017 to 2020.
In Burkhead’s time in New England, he was part of the Patriots team that won Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. The Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in a low-scoring, defensive battle. Burkhead had seven carries for 43 yards, and two catches for 15 yards. Burkhead’s 43 rushing yards were the most he has ever had in a postseason game.
There is no doubt that the Texans have made significant changes to their rushing game in the offseason. In addition to Burkhead, they have acquired running backs Mark Ingram from the Baltimore Ravens, and Phillip Lindsay from the Denver Broncos. The Texans also released running back Duke Johnson, who remains an unrestricted free agent.
Burkhead will be reunited with new Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who was New England’s director of player personnel from 2008 to 2020. In fact there are now 14 former Patriots on the Texans roster according to Bernd Buchmasser of SB Nation. Burkhead is joined by safeties A.J. Moore Jr. and Terrence Brooks, offensive tackles Jordan Steckler, Cole Toner, and Marcus Cannon, wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Dante Moncreif, cornerback Keion Crossen, offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt, linebackers Derek Rivers and Kamu Grugier-Hill, tight end Ryan Izzo, and tight end Paul Quessenberry,
Houston also has running back David Johnson on their roster. Now it will be interesting to see if Houston will go with a running back by committee approach or name a starter before the season is set to begin.
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