The Houston Texans took the NFL by storm in 2023. A year after finishing 3-13-1, they responded by not only going 10-7 the following season, but winning the AFC South along the way. Houston went on to win their Wild Card matchup over the Cleveland Browns as well. They are poised to build upon that, but have to finish building their roster first.
That means sorting out the players on the roster bubble. Dameon Pierce and Xavier Hutchinson are a couple who qualify and need big performances in the preseason to make the Texans' 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season.
Is Dameon Pierce the odd-man out of Texans' backfield?
One major change Houston made during the offseason was bringing in running back Joe Mixon. They traded a late round pick for him and then gave Mixon a three-year $25.5 million extension. $16 million of that was guaranteed. He will surely be the Texans' lead back for the 2024 NFL season and beyond. However, things are a bit cloudy behind him.
Mixon wasn't the only back Houston acquired this offseason. They also signed Cam Akers to a one-year deal worth $1.175 million. However, none of that money is guaranteed. He will need a big preseason to prove to the Texans he is worth keeping around on their 53-man roster. But he isn't the only running back with which that applies to. Dameon Pierce will have to prove himself as well.
Pierce had a solid rookie season in 2022. He handled 220 carries and turned that into 939 yards and four touchdowns. Considering the context of that team, which went 3-13-1, that was a very successful rookie season for Pierce. He also caught 30 passes for 165 yards and added another score through the air. He looked like a legitimate starting running back.
Things took a drastic turn for the worse in 2023, however. A coaching change brought with it a scheme where Pierce does not fit very cleanly. As a result, his yards per carry average dropped from 4.3 to 2.9. He also lost his starting gig to the veteran Devin Singletary.
Pierce needs a big preseason to prove to the Texans he's worth keeping around for the 2024 NFL season. He's been the subject of trade rumors for much of the offseason. If Akers outperforms him in camp, Houston could very well go in that direction. He has to show them that would be a mistake.
Is there room for Xavier Hutchinson?
The splashiest move Houston made this offseason was trading for superstar wideout Stefon Diggs. Diggs joins an obscenely loaded wide receiver room that includes Nico Collins and Nathaniel ‘Tank' Dell. Players like John Metchie III, Noah Brown, and Robert Woods are still around from last year as well. Houston also traded for former Los Angeles Ram Ben Skowronek.
There just may not be room for Iowa State Cyclone Xavier Hutchinson. Hutchinson was outstanding in his three seasons with Iowa State, especially in 2022. He caught 107 passes for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns that season. Hutchinson was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award that year.
However, that did not lead to much playing time with Houston last year after they made him a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft. Hutchinson caught just eight passes for 90 yards as a rookie during the regular season. He did flash his skills during the preseason, however.
Hutchinson will need to do that again this year. The Texans' receiver room is stacked and a big performance in the preseason may be the only way Hutchinson can work his way onto their 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season. He has his work cut out for him, but it isn't an impossible task. How Hutchinson fares will be worth monitoring.
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