Texans: RB mistake?

I saw this and was surprised. Salaam was considered, and dismissed, by Texans...but shouldn't have been???-- was this better known by others than by me?

Salaam to end up in San Francisco
By Darrell Trimble
NFL Insider
Updated: May 19


Rashaan Salaam is usually one of the first names discussed when the topic of Heisman busts comes up, but right now he's the center of conversation not because of his filures, but because of his potential success.


After two good days of practice, Salaam could be on the receiving end of a contract from the San Francisco 49ers.

"Yes, I think he's looked impressive,'' general manager Terry Donahue told the San Jose Mercury News. "I think that he has a chance to be invited to training camp. I think that's fair to say.''

According to league rules, Salaam can't practice for more than 48 hours without a contract, but after practice Sunday, Donahue said he was going to look into putting something together in hopes of allowing Salaam to participate in today's final session.

Salaam got his shot not only because Donahue, who tried to recruit him when he was the coach at UCLA, was familiar with him but also because someone put in a good word to owner John York. Unfortunately for Salaam, those factors didn't help him secure a job with the Houston Texans.


Rashaan Salaam is expected to sign with the 49ers.
Texans wide receivers coach Kippy Brown knew Salaam from his one season coaching the Memphis Maniax of the XFL. Brown recommended Salaam to the Texans, but the front office failed to heed his advice. That may or may not turn out to be a good thing, but for a team with serious questions at running back, Salaam should have at least warranted a serious look.

Of the 32 teams in the NFL, only the Chicago Bears had a worse ground game than the expansion Texans. Houston has added Stacey Mack and retained James Allen, but as bad as they were on the ground, they should have listened to Brown's suggestion.

It's curious why the Texans didn't heed his advice. In his 11 years as a coach, Brown has proven to know a thing or two about running backs. Brown spent one season with the Green Bay Packers as their running backs coach, and Ahman Green break through with his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign. The story was similar in Miami, when the then running backs coach helped Karim Abdul-Jabbar become the first Dolphins back to crack the 1,000-yard barrier in 18 years. The following season, Abdul-Jabbar tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns with 15.

Brown also proved his skill in 1995, his lone season as the running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That year, Errict Rhett gained 1,207 yards on 332 carries scored 11 touchdowns, all career highs. The Bucs hadn't had a back eclipse 1,200 yards since 1985, and haven't had one since.

Understandably, The Texans didn't take the 28-year-old's comeback seriously, but perhaps they should have. Salaam has worked out diligently with former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Cris Carter and numerous other current and former NFL players at the Cris Carter Fast Camp in Boca Raton, Fla.

When he showed up at the camp, Salaam was 240 pounds, and ran a 4.72 40-yard dash. He's now at 222, and has run as fast as a 4.43. Salaam now has nine percent body fat, a vertical leap of 34 inches and can do 22 bench press reps of 225 pounds.

In a March 13 workout, Salaam ran a less impressive 4.56 40, but his vertical increased to 37 inches. Also, people noted how he looked much more ripped than he did as a collegian. He may or may not last in San Franciso, especially with Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow hogging all the time. He would have had a chance to start in Houston, but they apparently decided they don't need anymore competition at one of their weakest spots.