Arian Foster: Contract Issues Won't Keep RB Away from Houston Texans in 2012

Arian Foster did not enter the NFL with a lot of fan fare. He signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent, but has established himself as one of the best running backs in the game. As a result, he is going to command a lot of money soon. 

But as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reported, Foster and the Texans have not made a lot of progress on a long-term contract to keep the star running back in Houston. 

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As Foster completes his exclusive-rights tender of $525,000 and moves toward restricted free agency, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that zero progress has been made on a long-term deal.

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Foster certainly deserves to be paid like one of the top backs in the league, and when you look at what he has made through his first three years, he has been one of the best bargains. 

Even if there is not a potential long-term contract not in the works, at least not right now, don't expect Foster to make it a public issue where he threatens to sit out for most of the 2012 season. 

As Florio also points out, Foster wants to be on the field without a long-term contract as much as possible for reasons known only to him. 

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What gives the Texans leverage, but what should compel them not to abuse it, is the fact that Foster simply wants to play football.  For example, he didn’t hesitate to sign his one-year tender offer in 2011, likely fearful that if he stays away someone else (like Ben Tate) would have become the lead dog.

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Foster knows that at the end of the day, he is going to make a lot of money somewhere. If the Texans want to lock him up after this season ends, they will approach him with a deal that is in line with the way that he has performed the last two years. 

But if the Texans want to save some money and let Foster walk away, there are always teams that will pay big dollars to acquire an elite-level running back. He is going to get paid one way or another, and any contract issues won't have any effect on the way he plays in 2012. 

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