The Houston Texans have made sure to add more talent to both sides of the ball this offseason. They have shown the ability to win games, but need to take that next step.
With the 2025 NFL draft over with, rookie minicamps and OTAs are next on the schedule. The biggest moves came along the offensive line and at receiver, but there is someone else whose stock is low going into the month of May. That guy is running back Dameon Pierce.
After a productive rookie season in 2022 that saw him log 939 rushing yards and four touchdowns, he took a nose dive in his sophomore season. In 2023, Pierce had 416 rushing yards. The Texans felt there was meat left on the bone, leading to them trading for Joe Mixon.
Pierce missed time last season with a hamstring injury, posting career lows in rushing yards (293) and total snaps (131). The Florida product didn't have the same juice last season and is heading into the final year of his rookie deal.
Houston also drafted RB Woody Marks in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, adding another dynamic to the running back room. There's a reason for that, and it doesn't paint a good picture around Pierce.
Marks is a patient runner who allows holes to open up with natural hands as a pass catcher. In 57 collegiate games at Mississippi State and USC, the Georgia native had 3,016 rushing yards, 1,546 receiving yards, and 36 total touchdowns.
Rookie minicamp goes from May 9 to May 10 for Houston, and Marks will get his first chance to impress the coaching staff over those two days. And since the Texans made him a fourth-round pick, they have some faith in his ability to make an impact.
That could come this year, and the fact that Houston took Marks doesn't put Pierce in a positive light.