The Cowboys, by most accounts, did exactly what was expected of them in the 2024 NFL draft, and did it fairly well, to boot. Coming into the pick-a-thon, they needed help in the interior most of all, and addressed that by taking offensive linemen Tyler Guyton (first) and Connor Beebe (third) with two of their first three picks. Both could be starters in 2024 but, you know, no pressure, guys.
They also addressed the holes on the defensive line and at linebacker in the first three rounds, then took some late stabs at further bolstering the interior on both sides of the ball. What they did not do, notably, is draft a running back. They left that to be addressed on Monday with the re-signing of former star Ezekiel Elliott.
It’s a nice story and all. But Elliott is not the horse he was in the first four seasons of his career, when he earned three Pro Bowl nods and led the league in yardage per game three times. The Cowboys running back room now sits with Elliott as the likely starter, along with Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and fullback Hunter Luepke.
The Cowboys are looking at a running-back-by-committee situation. But the committee needs an upgrade, and SI.com’s Cowboys site has a thought—it’s urging the team to add demoted Texans star Dameon Pierce to the mix.
Dameon Pierce Could Be Forced Out
In an article titled, “Post-Draft Trade Targets That Make Sense For Dallas,” analyst Dustin Mosher writes that the Texans figure to be overloaded at running back, and that the Cowboys should be able to pilfer a guy who has proven he can be an every-down back in the NFL.
Mosher wrote: “The surprise signing of Joe Mixon by the Houston Texans throws a wrench into Dameon Pierce’s role. The Texans also used a draft pick on running back Jawhar Jordan. This logjam could present an opportunity for Dallas.
“Pierce, a physical runner with good receiving ability, could be had for a mid-to-late-round pick. Even with the signing of Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas needs to add more depth to the running back room and Pierce could fill that void at a minimal cost.”
Indeed, the trade return for Pierce figures to be low, given the Texans’ need to clear up some room on the depth chart. Pierce had lost out on carries to Devin Singletary last year, and now will be behind Mixon.
Cowboys Need Depth in the Backfield
Last year, the Texans appeared prepared to make Pierce a key part of the offense. New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik appreciated Pierce’s “angry” style of running, and Pierce promised more of the same.
“I don’t have good intentions, especially this year,” Pierce said during the preseason. “Slowik emphasizes that, so now I have to find ways to be even angrier.”
But as the year went on, it was Singletary who was the featured back. Pierce lost the starting job after he was injured in Week 7.
It was a surprise turn. Pierce is only 24 years old and was a fourth-round pick out of Florida in 2022. He made a name for himself as a rookie, when he rushed for a respectable 939 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He suffered an ankle injury that held him out of the final four games of the season, or he would have easily topped 1,000 yards rushing.
Pierce totaled four rushing touchdowns and added 165 yards receiving out of the backfield, with another touchdown.
That makes Pierce, now coming off a season in which he averaged only 2.9 yards per carry and played 32% of the team’s snaps, a prime trade candidate.
The Cowboys are a team in need—Pierce has had success, and makes sense as a fit here.
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