Houston Texans Linked to Bruising Offensive Weapon

The Houston Texans have had to get very creative in order to improve their roster this offseason, as they entered free agency with limited cap room in spite of having significant needs.

The Texans were able to swing a shrewd trade for wide receiver Christian Kirk, and they added a couple of more receivers in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel during the NFL Draft. They also selected running back Woody Marks in the fourth round.

However, Houston could still clearly use some more proven offensive firepower, and perhaps one of the Texans' biggest areas of concern is the backfield depth behind Joe Mixon.

Houston doesn't possess any reliable veteran options after the Pro Bowl halfback, which is why Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus feels the Texans should pursue Gus Edwards.

"Joe Mixon is in full command of the Texans' backfield after posting a 78.9 PFF rushing grade in his first season in Houston," Cameron wrote. "Keeping him healthy should be a priority, making the addition of a short-yardage bruiser like Gus Edwards a savvy move. Injuries hindered Edwards' performance in Los Angeles last season, but at full strength with Baltimore in 2023, he posted an 82.8 PFF rushing grade on downs where the distance was 4 yards or fewer."

Edwards rushed for just 365 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games with the Chargers last season, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. However, the 30-year-old has a rather efficient history from his Baltimore Ravens days, as he boasts a lifetime average of 4.7 yards per attempt.

Considering that Dameon Pierce is currently Houston's only veteran running back behind Mixon, it certainly couldn't hurt the Texans to take a one-year flier on Edwards.