The Houston Texans have gone through transformational changes along their entire roster in just the last two seasons.
One of those major changes has come in the running back room. Despite fielding the 22nd-best rushing attack in 2023 on a roster that won the AFC South, Houston decided to go big on altering the depth chart of the position group.
Now, it’s time to break down those exact changes and where the organization goes from here.
Who Will Win the Battle Between Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce?
At the height of his rookie season, Dameon Pierce was seen as a Rookie of the Year candidate and someone who could be the bellcow of the offense for years to come.
Under new coaching and with C.J. Stroud at quarterback, though, Pierce’s exploits hit a wall in his sophomore season. The Florida product had a near 500-yard difference in yards gained last season and left questions about his viability in the NFL.
Enter Joe Mixon.
Mixon may be coming off a 1,000-yard season, but his efficiency in the last two years has been something to keep an eye on. He hasn’t recorded over 4.0 yards a carry since the 2021 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Still, that didn’t stop the Texans from giving up a seventh-round draft pick to see how much the Oklahoma product still has left in the tires.
While both Mixon and Pierce are coming off down seasons, the fact they could complement each other well in Houston’s offense may allow both to have highly efficient years. Of course, they aren’t the only ones on the roster, though.
Getting To Know Dare Ogunbowale
Dare Ogunbowale’s journey through the NFL has been full of twists and turns for an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin. The now 30-year-old running back signed a UDFA contract with Houston back in 2017 and bounced around practice squads over the last seven years including time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Commanders.
SEE MORE: Houston Texans Depth Chart
Over the last three seasons, Ogunbowale has been back with the Texans and put up 158 yards rushing in four games played with the team. While he is considered a core special teamer on the roster, Ogunbowale is a player that Houston relies on to provide depth behind both Pierce and Mixon.
Getting To Know Jawhar Jordan
It may be crazy to think, but Jawhar Jordan is actually older than Pierce despite being the lone rookie in the backfield. He will turn 25 years old on Aug. 18.
In college, Jordan spent time with Syracuse and Louisville — playing with the Cardinals for the final three seasons. With Louisville, Jordan spent most of his time as a backup, but in his final season recorded over 1,000 yards rushing and tallied 13 touchdowns.
His 6.2 yards per carry average is considered elite by any standard and helped him get drafted by Houston in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He may be fighting for a roster spot currently, but Jordan could help the Texans as they look to bolster the depth of their roster.