Arian Foster improving, still not ready to play

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster came off of the PUP list on Wednesday and returned to practice.

“[H]e looked good,” coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday, via quotes distributed by the team.  ”He did more.  He put his pads on with everybody else.  I think we went from like 10 reps to 20 today.  We picked up his work.  He felt fine coming out of yesterday.  Today’s the same, looked the same to me.  We’ll just keep taking it almost as if he started training camp yesterday.”

Foster has developed into one of the elite running backs in football. He rushed for 1,424 yards on 351 carries with 15 touchdowns a year ago. He had another 40 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns. He was just as good in the postseason, rushing 54 times for 230 yards and  two touchdowns while catching 15 passes for 97 yards and another touchdown.

Despite his improvement and success, Foster still isn’t ready play in a game.

“I don’t see him playing,” Kubiak said.  ”Like I said, I hope he has such a good week that he’s feeling like, ‘Hey, I can go play 10-15 plays,’ and talking to me that way.  I think with the time he’s missed, the smartest thing is to get in a couple of good weeks of practice.”

Foster doesn’t think he needs the preseason anyway.

“I’m not a huge fan of preseason,” Foster said, according to The Associated Press. “I feel like I’ll be ready for Sept. 9 without (it). I’ve just got to get myself acclimated.”

The Texans open the season Monday, September 9 against the San Diego Chargers.