Ben Tate signed with the Cleveland Browns in free agency with the idea that he would become the team's starting running back. Tate had spent years as a backup to Arian Foster with the Houston Texans and was ready to make his move to becoming an elite starting running back. The Browns were supposed to give him that chance. However, the emergence of two rookies has taken carries away from Tate in recent weeks and he is not thrilled about it.
Tate signed a two-year deal in free agency worth $7 million and he expected to be the type of running back that got somewhere around 20 carries per game. However, after suffering a knee injury early in the season, rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell took over the running back tandem and proved perfectly capable of the responsibility. Naturally, the Browns have decided to continue with a three-headed rushing attack which is taking away carries from Tate.
"It's not [satisfying]," said Tate, via ESPN.com. "But whatever the organization thinks is best for the team, that's what they are going to do. The player I was against Tennessee, I don't think I've changed. I don't think I've gotten a step slower all of a sudden. I think it's just a combination of everything."
Tate is certainly not trying to speak poorly about West and Crowell, he simply just wants the ball and notes that the sporadic rotation hurts his momentum. Upon his return from a knee injury, Tate put up 202 yards in two games in Week 5 and 6. However, since then he has just 99 yards on 51 carries total. Meanwhile, Crowell leads the team with five touchdowns while West ranks second in terms of workload.
Tate told the media that he does not want to look like a bad guy and simply wants to win, but he also wants the ball. The running back thought he was being brought in to be the workhorse of the group and instead has seen fewer and fewer carries. While Tate might be a workhorse, both Crowell and West have shown they have a knack for big plays which is what Cleveland is thriving off of for the moment, leaving Tate on the sidelines.
"We're winning. We're 6-3, in first place. That's all that really matters," Tate said.
