The Dallas Cowboys probably need a bit of an upgrade at the running back position.
As the Cowboys prepare to enter training camp later this month, they’ll do so with an underwhelming group of running backs. Dallas added veteran backs Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman during the offseason, but neither served as a full-time starting running back last season. The rest of the Cowboys’ depth chart is rounded out by inexperienced runners such as Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle. Neither running back has ever started a game during their professional careers.
In other words, there is no clear-cut favorite to start at running back for the Cowboys.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine makes a “bold” prediction that Dallas will make a move for a running back before the season, with Ballentine projecting that the Cowboys trade for an establisher runner such as the Houston Texans‘ Dameon Pierce.
“A trade might make more sense. Dameon Pierce would be a logical target,” writes Ballentine. “He had a successful rookie season with the Houston Texans but ceded his role to Devin Singletary last season and the Texans acquired Joe Mixon this offseason.”
Texans Could Consider Dameon Pierce Trade After Disappointing Year
Pierce is a young 24-year-old running back and is just entering his third season in the NFL. However, he emerged as one of the NFL’s best rookie running backs in 2022 when he ran for 939 yards on 4.3 yards per carry as the Texans’ starting running back. His rushing yards ranked third among all rookie running backs.
Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen described Pierce as a “stout, explosive” runner coming out of the draft.
However, he fell out of favor during an absolutely rough 2023 season. Despite the Texans emerging as a playoff contender under the leadership of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, Pierce struggled on his way to 2.9 yards per carry, the lowest rushing average among all qualifying runners last season. Pierce posted just 416 rushing yards on 145 carries with two touchdowns during the 2023 season.
Pierce started seven games before eventually losing his starting job to Devin Singletary. While Singletary is no longer a member of the Texans, Houston did acquire former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowler Joe Mixon via trade. While Mixon is a bit on the older side — he’ll be 28 years old this season — he still projects as the starter with Pierce as the backup.
Why Cowboys Should Consider Dameon Pierce Trade
While the Texans could very well retain Pierce considering Mixon’s usage since 2017 — he has served as a starting back for the past seven seasons — they could also capitalize on acquiring some draft capital by trading with a running back-needy team such as the Cowboys.
Considering Mixon — who has been a consistent starter for a number of years — was acquired for just a seventh-round pick, it’s hard to envision Pierce costing much more than that. Pierce is obviously four years younger with significantly less mileage on his body. That could lift the asking price to possibly a sixth-round draft pick.
The Cowboys could very well go with a running back by committee game plan entering the season. But even that idea is underwhelming when considering Elliott averaged 3.5 yards per carry last season and when factoring in that Freeman has started just one game since the 2019 season.
If the Cowboys can acquire Pierce for a low draft pick, they absolutely make a deal for a young running back who would immediately emerge as their starter.
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Cowboys Predicted to Make Trade for Explosive Texans RB: ‘Logical Target’