“Shocking” Trade Suggestion: Cowboys to Obtain Former 1,000-Yard RB

A former starter running back would be acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in a proposed deal.

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce is included in a list of “shocking” trade targets produced by Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report. In 13 games that he started, the 24-year-old Pierce contributed 165 receiving yards and ran for 939 yards on 4.3 yards per carry during his incredible rookie campaign with the Texans in 2022.

Ballentine contends that Pierce would thrive in the Cowboys because of their dearth of youthful, reliable running back depth.

Ballentine comments, “A young running back with a higher ceiling would be a good addition.” “The majority of teams won’t part with those guys in a deal. The Houston Texans may make an exception with Dameon Pierce. Although Pierce had over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in his debut season, he was not as successful in his sophomore year.

 

The Reasons Dameon Pierce Is a Potential Trade Target

Ballentine notes that Pierce lost favor with the Texans in 2023 when they began to favor veteran back Devin Singletary in place of him. The fact that the Texans signed former Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals only makes things worse. Since joining the Bengals in 2017, Mixon has started 88 of his 97 career games and has over 1,000 yards rushing in four different seasons.

To put it another way, Pierce is unquestionably the No. 2 and will probably complement Mixon.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are devoid of a clear-cut No. 1 option as veteran signings Royce Freeman and Ezekiel Elliott battle for the starting running back position alongside holdovers Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Malik Davis. Not one of the final three runners has ever started a game. Freeman has only started one game since the 2019 campaign, and Elliott is one of only two players still playing who has accumulated at least 2,000 career carries.

Pierce, a former fourth-round pick with a 2024 salary cap cost of just $1.2 million, would almost fill the running back gap for the Cowboys at a deeply discounted rate.

What the Cowboys Would Give Up in a Possible Trade for Dameon Pierce
Ballentine doesn’t specify which round pick the Cowboys would give up, but it should be enough to acquire Pierce from the Texans with a fourth or fifth round pick.

Ballentine adds, “Maybe Pierce could use a fresh start, and the Cowboys should be willing to part with a pick to have a chance at a young back with upside.”

Clearly struggling during a difficult 2023 season, Pierce ran for 416 yards on 2.9 yards per carry, the lowest average of any running back in the previous campaign. Pro Football Focus claims that a clearer view of Pierce’s play is provided by the advanced analytics. Last season, Pierce had a good offensive rating of 66.6 and a running grade of 64.7. Out of 130 running backs, the offensive grade came in at number 64.

But Pierce has shown that he is capable of succeeding in the past, and a new beginning in Dallas as the top option with a few complimentary players to help him might help him get back on track.