If you’ve clicked on this link, it means you’re probably a Houston Texans fan, and if you’re a Houston Texans fan, you love Dameon Pierce. This is not a guess nor an opinion, this is a fact. It is impossible NOT to love Dameon Pierce. His enthusiasm is infectious, his energy is undeniable, and until he got plunked down into Bobby Slowik’s system, which has been amazing for everyone except Dameon Pierce, his style of play was relentless.
That’s the problem, though. This system, and Pierce’s fit. He was the starting tailback last season for the first seven games, before getting injured. He had 109 largely unproductive carries. During the three games Pierce was out, Devin Singletary took over and didn’t look back. Pierce returned to just 36 carries over the final seven games, and was glued to the bench in the postseason.
Thus far, this preseason, it hasn’t looked any better. Despite contentions from the Texans and Pierce himself that it would be better, Pierce still looks lost. I have no doubt that there is still good football player somewhere in there, but it likely won’t be here.
So if Pierce has trade value, who should GM Nick Caserio be reaching out to? What teams could provide a fit for a soon to be third year running back with a great attitude and plenty of juice in the locker room and, in the right scheme, on the field? Here are five suggestions:
DALLAS COWBOYS
This is the spot that Pierce has been mentioned most often in trade rumors, for the people that dabble in trade rumors of beleaguered backup running backs. The Cowboys right now have a washed-up-for-YEARS Ezekiel Elliott listed as their starting tailback.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
All I know about the Saints’ running back position is that Alvin Kamari wants a new contract (and definitely does NOT deserve one), and they’ve been running hybrid everything Taysom Hill at running back in the preseason. This is actually the tweet that made me add the Saints to this article:
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The best thing for Pierce would be to go to a team that is run heavy, and runs a system that is completely centered around overwhelming teams with the run. The Ravens have the best running quarterback in football in Lamar Jackson, and the best running back of the last five years in Derrick Henry. As a backup to Henry, getting 8 to 10 touches a game, and not having to worry about the feel that goes into a zone running scheme might be ideal for Pierce.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
The Raiders starting tailback is Zamir White. “Who?” you just said, to which I say “Exactly.” If Pierce had experience doing anything in the NFL, it’s racking up yards as the top back on a bad football team. See: Texans, 2022.
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
