How bad was the Houston Texans’ rushing attack in 2023? Outside of Devin Singletary, the three other running backs averaged less than 3.2 yards per attempt.
Houston might have won the AFC South, but it was primarily due to the heroics of rookie sensation C.J. Stroud. Sure, Singletary rushed for nearly 900 yards, but those were the expected numbers of the No. 2 runner in Bobby Slowik’s offense, not the leading man.
While the Texans aren’t ready to pull the plug on Dameon Pierce entering Year 3, but they’re not turning to him as the leading rusher. Instead, Houston added Pro Bowler Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a seventh-round pick following the start of free agency.
Mixon spent seven seasons with the Bengals after being drafted out of Oklahoma in 2017. Seven years feels like an eternity for the lifespan of running backs these days, yet Houston believes that Mixon is only entering his prime, as evident by the recent three-year, $27 million extension signed this offseason.
Pierce should add value as a third-down runner in short-yardage situations. The Texans also drafted speedster Jawhar Jordan out of Louisville to enhance the special team’s unit. It’s not the most eye-popping trio, but the Texans see upside in both Jordan and Pierce, especially the latter with another season under his belt in the zone-based offensive approach.
ESPN’s Mike Clay has released his 2024 projections, including ranking every running back room in the NFL. Where do the Texans’ running backs rank among the rest of the league? Here’s a look: