The NFL offseason has almost reached the start of training camp, and the last several months have seen the Houston Texans make plenty of changes to their roster. The Texans' running back room is one position boasting a handful of new faces, as veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks have joined a situation that already featured Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, and Dare Ogunbowale.
What's interesting is that the Texans' RB room nearly featured another name not too long ago. Houston worked out veteran runner Nyheim Hines at the beginning of May as he looks to play his first NFL game in nearly three years. The tryout didn't amount to much, though, as the Texans decided to sign Chubb instead.
While that was over two months ago, Hines clearly isn't ready to give up on his dreams just yet.
Texans News: Veteran RB Nyheim Hines Wants to Make NFL Comeback
On Monday, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Hines still intends to find a team despite the lack of interest surrounding him this offseason.
"Hines is looking for a chance to play in his first NFL game since 2022," Schefter wrote. "Hines believes his knee finally is ready for a return to action and he is looking for a new training camp home."
Nearly two years to the date that he tore his ACL in a jet-ski accident, Nyheim Hines is looking for a chance to play in his first NFL game since 2022, when he returned two kicks for touchdowns in the same game for the Bills. Hines believes his knee finally is ready for a return… pic.twitter.com/kLKZ54t3AA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 7, 2025
It's been a long road to recovery for Hines, who last suited up as a member of the Buffalo Bills during the 2022-23 AFC Divisional Round. He went on to suffer a significant leg injury due to a jet skiing-related accident that summer and would miss the entire 2023 campaign as a result. He was released by the Bills before joining the Cleveland Browns for the 2024 campaign; however, his recovery prevented him from suiting up once.
At this stage of the NFL offseason, Hines will likely need to capitalize on a tryout to land a new contract. Teams, even the most RB-hungry squads, simply aren't willing to roll the dice on a 28-year-old back who's coming off a severe leg injury and has missed all of the last two seasons.
Now with an RB room overflowing with talent, the door is closed on Hines receiving another opportunity with the Texans. He'll have to wait for another opportunity to pop up, potentially when a team loses a running back either during training camp or the preseason.
As inspiring as a potential comeback story might be, the reality is that Hines has an uphill battle towards another NFL contract. Texans fans will be watching his journey from afar, and it won't be long before it's clear if Houston was right not to offer him a deal two months ago.