Texans Cut RB Marlon Mack; Dameon Pierce New Lead Runner?
HOUSTON - - Marlon Mack was expected to be the Houston Texans’ lead running back entering training camp. Now, he’ll be playing elsewhere in 2022.
According to ESPN, the Texans have released Mack. Mack agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with Houston this offseason.
Drafted out of South Florida in 2017, Mack, 26, spent his first five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. In 2019, Mack rushed for a career-high 1,097 yards off 247 carries and scored eight touchdowns. He averaged 4.5 yards per run and 77.7 yards per game. He also averaged a career-high 17.7 rushing attempts per game.
Entering a contract year, Mack suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 of the 2020 season. Electing to return to Indianapolis on a one-year prove-it deal, Mack rushed for 101 yards in six games, splitting reps with All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor.
With Mack being released, Houston is expected to have rookie running back Dameon Pierce as its lead runner for the 2022 season. Drafted in the fourth round out of Florida, Pierce has been the Texans’ most consistent running back throughout the summer.
In two preseason games, Pierce rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt. Texans coach Lovie Smith has praised the rookie’s growth in the backfield, but has yet to name him the Week 1 starter.
“Dameon Pierce has played good ball pretty much since he got in the facility,” Smith said Monday. “He’s a good football player with the right amount of power. He’ll make you miss in the open field. He can catch the ball. He can do a lot of things that NFL running backs do.”
The Texans will need to trim their roster down to 53 players by Tuesday’s deadline. Currently, Houston's backfield features Pierce, Texans' 2021 leading rusher Rex Burkhead, Dare Ogunbowale and Royce Freeman.
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