The Houston Texans have used this offseason as an avenue to improve the roster. They have a great foundation built, but they need some more juice in certain areas.
This offseason, they signed Nick Chubb in free agency and also snagged Woody Marks in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft. They join Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce in the backfield, yet it puts the latter in the danger zone.
And the clock could be ticking on his time in Houston.
Dameon Pierce May on Be Thin Ice for Texans
Mixon is the lead tailback for the Texans, as he had 1,016 receiving yards, 309 receiving yards, and 12 total touchdowns. Adding Chubb certainly indicates they want to be the RB2, bruising weapon in the running game.
And Marks has the pass-catching ability that will make him an ideal third-down back in this offense. That leaves Pierce as the lame duck. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft and started off hot as a rookie (939 rushing yards & four touchdowns). Over the last two seasons, the Florida product has rushed for fewer than 420 rushing yards, including a career-low 293 yards on the ground last season. To make matters worse, 176 rushing yards came in the Week 18 finale against the Tennessee Titans.
His snaps decreased from 2023 (303 total snaps) to 2024 (131 total snaps). And now the additions of Chubb and Marks paint a crystal clear picture. The coaching staff was looking for ways to add better depth to the running back room and didn't see Pierce as part of the long term solution.
Whether they trade or release the 25-year-old remains to be seen, but it's pretty obvious he won't be in H-Town long. Pierce has 1,648 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, and 4.1 yards per carry in his career. He's added 45 catches for 268 receiving yards and one score as a receiver.
With one more year left on his rookie deal, Pierce could receive some interest on the trade market. If that doesn't come to fruition, there could be a good shot he's released by the Texans before the summer comes to a close.