After much anticipation, the next phase of the Houston Texans' offseason will arrive next week when this year's organized team activities (OTAs) start on May 28. The Texans have spent the offseason making plenty of changes after winning back-to-back AFC South titles, and the upcoming OTAs should give fans a good idea of whether DeMeco Ryan's team is ready to take the next step.
In other words, OTAs are the perfect opportunity for veterans — especially those on the roster bubble — to prove themselves to the coaching staff. That includes a returning running back who has the most to lose in the coming weeks if he can't find a way to prove his worth.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce Has the Most to Lose During OTAs
The Texans shook up their backfield this spring when they drafted USC running back Woody Marks with last month's 116th overall selection. With RB1 Joe Mixon returning to lead Houston's group of rushers, it's safe to say that Dameon Pierce's outlook with the franchise is less than promising.
It seems like Pierce's time as the Texans' starting RB is nothing but a distant memory. The ex-Florida Gator started in all 13 of his rookie appearances after being drafted 107th overall in 2022, resulting in 220 carries for 939 rushing yards, 165 receiving yards on 30 catches, and five total touchdowns scored along the way.
Unfortunately, back-to-back offseason additions have prevented Pierce from reaching similar heights. Devin Singletary and Mixon's presence in 2023 and 2024, respectively, forced Pierce into more of a backup role. Since taking a backseat to his peers, the Bainbridge, GA native only has 812 scrimmage yards and four TDs on 200 touches in 25 games (7 starts) in the last two seasons.
After the Texans drafted Marks, it's hard to imagine Pierce having much of a role on the team going forward. Houston already had Mixon, who just rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 TDs en route to his second Pro Bowl appearance, and now Woods has entered the mix after amassing a career-high 1,454 scrimmage yards and nine TDs with the Trojans in 2024.
On top of Mixon and Woods, Pierce must also deal with fringe RBs J.J. Taylor, Dare Ogunbowale, British Brooks, and Jawhar Jordan. The offseason can be filled with surprises, and the last thing Pierce needs is for one of the aforementioned quartet to be hungry enough to step up and steal his spot on the depth chart.
The state of the Texans' backfield will become clearer after more OTA practices are in the books. With that in mind, Pierce can't afford to take his foot off the gas for even one session because one unfortunate slip-up could mark the end of his Houston tenure.