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Assessing the Texans' options at running back with Arian Foster out

Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY Sports

With news breaking that Houston Texans running back Arian Foster will require groin surgery and is slated to miss some time during the season, thoughts turn to the team's options at running back and where it will turn for at least part of 2015.

Here's a sampling of the Texans' best options.

Alfred Blue

The likely candidate to take over the majority of carries is Alfred Blue, a second-year back out of LSU that rushed for 528 yards and two touchdowns on 169 carries as a rookie.

Blue is a plodder, more physical than the shifty Foster, but extremely limited in pass blocking and receiving. With the Texans' offense designed around Foster's versatility, Blue will likely see increased touches but his limited skills will need to be balanced by a third-down back.

Chris Polk

Chris Polk has been a serviceable backup for three years now, leaving the Philadelphia Eagles as the backfield became extremely crowded.

Polk took goal-line carries away from LeSean McCoy at times last season, but, like Blue, he's a power back that stays between the tackles and churns for yards after contact. He does have some burst, but surpassing Blue seems unlikely.

Jonathan Grimes

Jonathan Grimes, or Grimey as he'd like to be called, is probably going to serve as the third-down back if the Texans don't make an upgrade via trade or free agency.

He performed in that role last season when Foster was injured and Weeks 11 and 12 of 2014 could serve as the best blueprint for how the Texans will handle the Foster injury.

During the two games in which he had an expanded role, Grimes rushed 15 times for 70 yards and caught three passes for 32 yards.

Free agents

Ahmad Bradshaw, Chris Johnson, and Ray Rice are all names being tossed around as the Texans scramble to figure out what direction they'll go. All three carry significant risks. Bradshaw is suspended for Week 1, Johnson was shot in the shoulder in the offseason, and Ray Rice is a potential PR nightmare with HBO's "Hard Knocks" in town.

Pierre Thomas and Steven Jackson are also available and seemingly interested in the gig, with Thomas a better fit to accommodate the Texans' current personnel.

Trade?

There are talented backups out there like Seattle Seahawks' former second-round pick Chritine Michael and Buffalo Bills reserve Bryce Brown, but the price on Michael may be too high and the team already has multiple Bryce Brown-like options in Blue and Polk.

This is probably a last-resort option for the Texans, who have developed a number of talented running backs from within over the past few years.

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