When the Houston Texans traded a seventh-round pick to acquire Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals, it was clear he’d take over for Devin Singletary as the new lead running back.
When Houston inked him to a new three-year extension worth $27 million, it was a sign he’d be the bell-cow back for years to come next to Pro Bowl quarterback C.J Stroud.
That hasn’t changed even with Mixon sidelined for most of training camp. He’s back at practice and will trot out with the first-teamers come Week 1 in Indianapolis against the Colts.
The No. 2 role, however? That battle comes down to this week’s practice and final preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
It won’t be an easy decision, either.
“It’s still a tight competition there in the running back room,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said following Saturday’s 28-10 win over the New York Giants. “We’re excited to see more, continue to see these guys next week.”
Dameon Pierce, Cam Akers, Dare Ogunbowale, J.J. Taylor and Jawhar Jordan are competing for the final three spots, each providing some value behind a couple of carries. And yes, the preseason won’t tell the entire story of how one fits with the roster.
Pierce, who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards in 2022, has offered little on gamedays, averaging 1.1 yards per run on nine carries. He’s looked polished in practice reps and shown explosivity when working behind Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Cam Akers has stolen Dameon Pierce's RB2 job for the #Texans.
Their preseason stats so far:
– Akers –
Game 1: 5 for 13 yds | 2 rec, 18 yds 1 TD
Game 2: 6 for 17 yds | 3 rec, 24 yds
Game 3: 6 for 29 yds– Pierce –
Game 1: 0 touches
Game 2: 4 for 5 yds
Game 3: 4 for 4 yds pic.twitter.com/zIHW6TGzfj— The Fantasy Football Show (@FantasyDirect) August 19, 2024
Tunsil didn’t play in Saturday’s preseason home opener for precautionary reasons after returning to practice for the first time since offseason workouts. Second-round pick Blake Fisher looked like a rookie facing a New York front that features three Pro Bowl talents.
The run blocking has been insufficient at best without the four-time Pro Bow blindside blocker opening lanes on the left side.
But is that a good enough excuse? Multiple other runners have found creases and crevices to break through for yards after contact, albeit against presumed backups.
Could they do it against starters?
“We can’t evaluate guys who aren’t out there,” Ryans said when asked about the limited success on the ground. “But overall, the way our offensive line ran off the ball, the way they moved people and created lanes for our backs, like you run the ball as a team.”
Akers has been a preseason constant, totaling 41 and 31 yards in his first two games back from injury. On Saturday, he put together his most consistent performance, averaging a team-high 4.8 yards per run with a long of 14.
Health has been the main concern for the former second-round pick. In four seasons, Akers has torn both his Achilles tendons and missed over 20 games due to injury, but he understands and fits in Bobby Slowik’s offense.
Cam Akers went from fighting for a roster spot to making a serious case for the Texans RB2 real quick. pic.twitter.com/UJMbmU5ltb
— James Roy (@JamesRoyNFL) August 17, 2024
“His foundational work, I think, has been great in this offense, he’s been in this type of style,” Stroud said. “He’s going to continue to do great, and I’m really loving his game and how patient he is, but he hits the hole at the same time.”
Ogunbowale has been a special teams standout and reliable No. 3 option. He’s a favorite of the coaching staff because of his willingness to do everything.
Maybe Jordan offers a similar role but on an expanded contract? The sixth-round pick finished with 58 total yards, 42 of which came through the air during Saturday’s win while also seeing action on kickoff and the return game.
And Taylor, a favorite to make the practice squad if cut, showed his straight-line speed with a pair of first-down runs, including an 18-yard scamper in the third quarter.
Jawhar Jordan is making a case to make this team too. His last two games have been good. pic.twitter.com/NTWV94qsYj
— Jonathan M Alexander (@jonmalexander) August 17, 2024
Starters likely won’t see much action on Saturday, but Pierce must deliver. The same goes for Akers and Ogunbowale since Jordan and Taylor won’t go down without a fight.
A combination of inadequate blocking plus limited reps with the starting five has hindered the ground game’s growth. It’s better than what’s been produced and the drop-off from No. 2 to No. 5 is minimal at best.
With three practices left, that’s neither positive nor negative. It’s simply progress.
