Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak hopes Arian Foster can return from his calf strain to make his training-camp debut on Sunday. For the meantime, though, backup running back Ben Tate will join Foster on the sideline.
Tate was forced from Friday's practice with a groin injury.
"My groin tightened up," Tate said via the Houston Chronicle. " ... I'm not too worried about it."
It's a good bet the Texans are worried about it. Soft-tissue injuries have a tendency to linger, as Tate knows after a hamstring injury dogged him throughout the second half of last season. It should be noted that Tate also dealt with a groin injury early in the 2011 season.
This is a contract season for Tate, who will have a shot at earning the starting job and the accompanying contract on the open market in 2014. He will have to resist the urge to rush back before his groin is fully recovered.
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