The Denver Broncos have a need, and one of the teams that they defeated earlier in the season may have just provided them with a solution. Amid life without J.K. Dobbins, former Houston Texans draft pick Dameon Pierce could make sense for the Broncos.
Dobbins and the Broncos continue to hold out hope that he can return from the Lisfranc issue that has him sidelined until February at least.
Pierce could help the Broncos as soon as Week 13 against the Washington Commanders.
Former Texans RB Dameon Pierce Could Be Broncos’ J.K. Dobbins Replacement
GettyDameon Pierce #31 of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the Detroit Lions.
The Texans, whom the Broncos defeated on the road in Week 9, made the attention-grabbing decision to waive Pierce before their “Thursday Night Football” game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 12.
Pierce, the No. 107 overall pick in the 2022 draft, is a power back at 5-foot-10 and nearly 220 pounds. He rushed for over 900 yards as a rookie, but saw his stock in Houston dip thereafter.
Dobbins was the NFL’s fifth-leading rusher when he went down.
The Broncos have used replacement and rookie second-round pick RJ Harvey as a pass-catcher quite often, mixing in Jaleel McLaughlin, who has fared well as a short-yardage option, and Tyler Badie in Week 10 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Still, Pierce could present a proper complement to Harvey. In addition to being a physical runner, Pierce is a capable pass catcher, logging 30 receptions, 165 yards, and 1 TD as a rookie.
If the Broncos can help him regain his rookie form, Pierce could be a worthwhile flier.
Dameon Pierce an Imperfect Option
Like their Texans counterparts, Broncos backs are gaining 2.6 yards per carry before contact through 11 games this season.
That could suggest Pierce would not have much more success with the Broncos than he has had with the Texans. Including this season, Pierce has averaged 3.8 yards per attempt since the start of the 2023 season, despite averaging 7.3 YPA during that campaign.
He also had issues with his assignments this season.
That could be an issue if he must learn another new offense mid-season after the Texans’ install this past offseason.
There would be questions with any back the Broncos brought on at this stage. That includes practice squadder and former Dallas Cowboys draft pick, Deuce Vaughn. Pierce is an imperfect option, to be sure.
However, he has shown he can handle the less glamorous aspects of playing the position.
Moreover, players have shown throughout history that a change of scene can do wonders to revitalize their careers.
The Broncos could be that team for Pierce. Likewise, he could provide them with something they lacked even before Dobbins’ potentially career-altering injury. That is a physical presence in the backfield to help wear defenses down and drain the clock.
Dameon Pierce Needed Change of Scenery
GettyDameon Pierce #31 of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pierce, 25, has rushed 10 times for 26 yards this season, playing in four of the Texans’ 10 games entering Thursday night. Since being drafted, he has been usurped on the depth chart by Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, and rookie fellow fourth-rounder, Woody Marks.
Even with Mixon sidelined, the Texans had used Pierce sparingly and even made him inactive in each of the last two weeks.
It must also be noted that the Texans changed coaching staffs in 2023.
That was one year after Pierce was drafted. Then, they were presented with an opportunity to acquire Mixon, a two-time Pro Bowler, in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2024 offseason. They signed the ex-Cleveland Browns star, Chubb, amid concerns about Mixon.
The most damning move would be drafting Marks, except their playing styles differ greatly from one another.
Still, Pierce is a low-cost, potentially high-reward option for teams like the Broncos.
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