A proposed trade would see the Dallas Cowboys acquire a former starting running back.
In a list of “shocking” trade targets compiled by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce is one of the players mentioned. The 24-year-old Pierce had a sensational rookie season for the Texans in 2022, running for 939 yards on 4.3 yards per carry while contributing 165 receiving yards in 13 games started.
Ballentine argues that Dallas’ lack of young, viable depth at the running back position would make the Cowboys an ideal landing spot for Pierce.
“A young running back with a higher ceiling would be a good addition,” writes Ballentine. “Most teams aren’t willing to part with those players in a trade. Dameon Pierce might be an exception for the Houston Texans. Pierce had over 1,100 yards from scrimmage as a rookie but fell out of favor in his sophomore campaign.”
Why Dameon Pierce Should Be a Viable Trade Target
As Ballentine mentions, Pierce fell out of favor during the 2023 season when the Texans started shifting carries towards veteran back Devin Singletary. Making matters even worse is that the Texans acquired former Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon started 88 of his 97 career games with the Bengals since the 2017 season, rushing for over 1,000 yards in four different seasons.
In other words, Pierce is the clear-cut No. 2 and will likely play a complementary role to Mixon.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys lack a clear-cut No. 1 option, with veteran signees Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman along with holdovers such as Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle all competing to be the starting running back. The last three runners have yet to start a single game among them. Meanwhile, Freeman has started just one game since the 2019 season and Elliott is one of just two active players with at least 2,000 career carries.
Acquiring Pierce – a former fourth-round pick with just a $1.2 million cap hit for the 2024 season – would essentially solve the Cowboys’ running back void with a bargain salary.
What Cowboys Would Give up in Potential Dameon Pierce Trade
While Ballentine doesn’t mention exactly what round pick the Cowboys would part with, a fourth or fifth-round pick should be sufficient enough to acquire Pierce from the Texans.
“Perhaps a fresh start for Pierce would be good for both sides and the Cowboys should be willing to part with a pick to have a shot at a young back with upside,” writes Ballentine.
Pierce obviously staggered through a rough 2023 campaign, rushing for 416 yards on 2.9 yards per carry – the lowest average among all running backs last season. According to Pro Football Focus, the advanced analytics paint a better picture of Pierce’s play. Pierce posted a respectable 66.6 offensive grade and 64.7 rushing grade last season. The offensive grade ranked 64th among 130 running backs.
However, he’s proven he can excel before and a fresh start in Dallas as the No. 1 option with a couple of complementary pieces supporting him could help put Pierce back on the right track.
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