Could the Houston Texans look to make a bold trade ahead of this month's upcoming NFL draft?
In the eyes of some, the idea may not be far out of the realm of imagination, especially when centering in on the Texans' offense, who could have one certain piece on the roster that could be dangled in a few trade talks to gauge league interest on a potential move.
That player could be Texans running back Dameon Pierce, who was tabbed as the Texans' most likely trade candidate from FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano:
"His future seemed so bright when he ran for 939 yards in 13 games as a rookie in 2022. But he's only run for 709 yards in the two years since, thanks to a combination of injuries, struggles, and the fact that the Texans keep replacing him," Vacchiano wrote. "It's obviously Joe Mixon's job to lead their backfield now, and it's not even clear that Pierce will be his primary backup. Given that there are plenty of teams that need running back help, they might be better off getting something for him now before he leaves for nothing after the season."
For the Texans, it could make a bit of sense to punt on a reserve running back without much of an extensive role in the offense for the year ahead, effectively gaining back assets in return if a team had intrigue in bringing him aboard.
During his third year in Houston, Pierce saw some of his lowest numbers since landing as a pro. He had just 40 carries for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Yet, he still managed to run for 7.3 yards per attempt, his best average since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in 2022.
As Joe Mixon is the clear lead back in this offense, the writing could be on the wall for the Texans' second-stringer, and if so, it could lead him to a better opportunity elsewhere if another team were willing to invest in the 25-year-old.
Perhaps the return could be low from Houston's perspective, but if the package can be redistributed into other needs on this roster, there's an easy motive in getting a deal done.
Keep an eye on Pierce's status as we roll closer to the 2025 NFL Draft, kicking off on Thursday, April 24th in Green Bay, WI.
