With training camp in full swing, teams will determine which positions need to be upgraded before the start of the regular season.
The Dallas Cowboys don’t need to wait until their first preseason game to realize they must upgrade at running back after losing Tony Pollard in free agency. Sure, bringing back Ezekiel Elliott helps with fan morale, but does it take pressure off Dak Prescott in what could be his final year with the NFC East franchise?
Meanwhile, the Texans might be willing to part ways with one running back after adding Joe Mixon, Jahwar Jordan and Cam Akers this offseason.
Mixon, a former Pro Bowler, will serve as the Texans’ lead back after posting four 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in Cincinnati. Jordan and Akers could split reps for the No. 2 and No. 3 spot, respectively.
Where does that leave third-year runner Dameon Pierce? According to Bleacher Report, perhaps up for grabs as the new leading rusher for the other Texas team should a deal be finalized between the two sides.
“The 2022 fourth-round pick averaged 4.3 yards per carry and posted 1,104 yards from scrimmage as a rookie before losing the backfield to Devin Singletary last season,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine writes. “The Texans don’t seem to have Pierce in the plans after trading for Joe Mixon, signing Cam Akers and drafting Jawhar Jordan in the sixth round. The Cowboys could make a low-risk move by giving up a Day 3 pick to give him a shot at winning a role in camp.”
Parting ways with Piece seems unlikely for the time being, mainly because he’s revamped his image over the past two weeks of practice. Still, the Cowboys could become desperate, thus making the Texans an offer worth considering.
Asked Dameon Pierce about what many considered a disappointing 2023, what it did for him. Also, how someone so young was able to appreciate the adversity even while in the moment when he talked the @SeanTPendergast late in the season. AWESOME stuff. #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/rRGOQXz16B
— Landry Locker (@LandryLocker) July 27, 2024
Bleacher Report currently has the Cowboys sending a 2025 sixth-round pick in exchange for Pierce. That’s far too low despite regression from the former starter in 2023. Everyone has praised Pierce’s upside and attentiveness in the offseason to Bobby Slowik’s playbook. Slowik believes Piece could be in for a breakout year.
Pierce, who averaged 2.9 yards per run in 2023, said he views last season as his “best year” because it serves as a self-reflection of his lowest points. He intends to make up for it in Houston in Year 3.
“I’m just trying to stack my days. I’m just trying to get back to me and I’ve been being me this camp,” Pierce said. “Coaches see it, my teammates see it and most importantly, I see it. I feel it, I feel great.”
The Cowboys could eventually add Pierce to their backfield, but it won’t come at the price of a sixth-round pick. The Texans need depth and while Pierce might never live up to his breakout rookie season, he provides exceptional upside in a small role.
That alone might be enough to send Dallas packing altogether.