Tennessee Titans defensive tackle James Lynch (97) tackles Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (31) during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Houston Texans Insider Provides Major Update on Dameon Pierce

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated May 26, 2025 2:00 PM ET

With the Houston Texans ' OTAs sitting right around the corner, don't be surprised if you see running back Dameon Pierce getting some extended reps in this offense's backfield.

According to KPRC2 insider Aaron Wilson, the Texans could be preparing to roll out Pierce as their RB1 at the start of OTAs next week as starter Joe Mixon continues to recover from his offseason surgery.

"Joe Mixon is not 100% this spring, so I'm expecting to see Dameon [Pierce] as RB1 for now, and Joe 100% at training camp," Wilson said.

While the expectation remains for Mixon to be the surefire lead back in this offense for the 2025 season ahead, he won't be quite ready to go in late May for the coming year, and could instead look to get some extra rest before July's training camp. As a result, Pierce will be in line for an extended opportunity during Houston's offseason training looming this week.

Pierce is coming off a season in which he played in 11 games to put together a career-low 293 yards on 40 carries, along with two touchdowns. However, he's proven to be a strong option in the backfield in seasons past with Houston, posting nearly 1,000 yards on the ground with four touchdowns during his first year pro, even logging some votes for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

While Pierce's long-term future on the Texans' roster remains a bit up in the air as he sits on an expiring deal heading into unrestricted free agency next offseason, there's still a road for the 25-year-old to have a considerable role in this Houston offense for the season ahead, and perhaps have a much better turnout than when he was limited throughout 2024.

The Texans will get their first look at Pierce in OTAs once the action gets rolling on May 28th.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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