After playing the last two years in Houston, free agent running back Derrick Ward has been told the Texans don’t have any plan to re-sign him. And Ward seems to think that’s the result of the Texans not knowing what he can contribute.
Ward wrote on Twitter today that he was told the Texans didn’t bring him back because he doesn’t play special teams. And Ward would like to point out that during his first four seasons in the NFL, playing special teams was his primary responsibility with the Giants.
“Was just told I didnt get re-signed because I don’t play special teams? Humm check 2004-2007 stats special teams demon. Oh well,” Ward wrote. “Their loss though. Will take some time off now & see what I want to do!”
Ward doesn’t say who told him that special teams are the reason the Texans don’t want him anymore, but from the Texans’ perspective, it’s fair to point out that just because Ward was a good special teams player five years ago, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’d be a good special teams player for the Texans this year. And Ward will turn 32 in August and is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-low 3.4 yards a carry, so it’s easy to see why the Texans don’t think he has much more to contribute to their offense.
After Ward takes time off and sees what he wants to do, there’s a good chance he will come to the conclusion that whether he wants to keep playing in the NFL or not, teams just aren’t interested in his services, no matter how much he still thinks he can contribute on special teams.