Last season, the Texans made a huge move adding Joe Mixon to their roster. This was a huge move to find support for quarterback C.J. Stroud in his sophomore season. Mixon more than delivered, breaking 1,000 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns in his first season in Houston.
This was a year after the Texans took a one year rental on running back Devin Singletary. The thought process there was to build a Thunder and Lightning backfield with the second year Dameon Pierce. Pierce was a surprise of the 2022 season, nearly breaking 1,000 yards as a rookie.
But that was three years ago, and things have only gone downhill for Pierce since his breakout rookie year. Every metric for Pierce has fallen off. In the past two seasons, Pierce has taken a backup role in the backfield. NFL teams are opting for depth and rotation in their backfield. While that's great for most running backs, the Texans' situation sets up poorly for Pierce to stay on the roster.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce on Thin Ice After OTAs
The Texans made a big splash at the start of OTAs and added former All-Pro running back Nick Chubb. With Mixon as the lead back, Chubb can take a lesser role and not take the same level of punishment and usage as he was used to in Cleveland. Chubb and Mixon should be able to provide relief and keep each other fresh throughout the season. If Chubb can return to form after his MCL and ACL injuries, the Texans will have a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield.
That spells bad news for Pierce. His promising rookie year has not gained any traction. Already heading into the season in a backup role, Pierce just got bumped one rung down the depth chart with the addition of Chubb. Pierce does not have a specific skill set to differentiate himself or require the Texans' coaching staff to play a specific role in the offense.
Even if Pierce were to drop to 3rd on the depth chart, the Texans may want to opt for rookie Woody Marks. Pierce has seen a decline in role and production in his three years with the Texans. When that is the trend, front offices start to look for solutions elsewhere. When the Texans drafted Marks, one of his defining skill sets was his hands out of the backfield. That's a skill set that Pierce doesn't offer.
The career of an NFL running back is short. Based on roster additions and declining production, Pierce may find out just how short these careers can be.