A Cowboys-Texans trade to fix the glaring RB hole before another team does

This 2024 NFL season is going to be big in the state of Texas with both the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans as serious contenders for their conference championship. The Texans are young and eager to continue their success after taking a huge step forward last season. The Cowboys, on the other hand, are seeing their Super Bowl window slowly close with each passing postseason disappointment.

They have plenty of talent but an offseason of inaction and missed opportunities has put a damper on enthusiasm.

Time is a serious factor for Dallas with preseason football now officially over and all 32 teams making preparations for week one of the season. Dallas still has a glaring hole at the running back position and adding Ezekiel Elliot back on the team hasn’t helped. Luckily for the Cowboys, they have a chance to get a new starter with the help of the Texans and third-year running back Dameon Pierce.  

The Dallas Cowboys need this potential deal to work

Pierce clearly isn't a piece of the Texans' future or even their present, and rumors are that he could be had for a late-round pick. He is still playing under a rookie contract and he has shown solid production in the first two years of his career. 

The Cowboys have made a lot of contract extensions to several players, but the past has shown they have either overpaid or haven’t paid them in time. The Cowboys limited their future by giving Elliot a monster deal and then he declined every season. Dallas lost their top rusher from last season, Tony Pollard because they couldn’t give him a much bigger and fair deal. Now the Cowboys are in a pickle with some of their current players and the lack of talent in the running back room.

Pierce produced a solid rookie season in 2022, rushing for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 rushing attempts. He also caught 30 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Last season, Pierce lost his starting role to Devin Singletary and wasn’t able to get as many touches as the year before. Houston lost Singletary and instead of having Pierce as the full-time starter, they opted to trade for Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Cowboys have more urgency to play Pierce along with Elliot. Dallas needs a more stable offense instead of having quarterback Dak Prescott take all of the pressure. The Cowboys are 8-16 in games where Prescott attempts more than 40 passing attempts. The Cowboys need to make a deal for Pierce. 

How trading Dameon Pierce benefits Houston

The Texans are looking to make a huge push for a Super Bowl title sooner than later, with C.J. Stroud coming off a stellar NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Texans traded for Mixon and wide Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills and revamped the offensive line. This gives Stroud as many weapons and support as possible to help him run the offense. This would also pay more players around Stroud while he is on a rookie contract.

The odd man out in the rotation this upcoming season is Pierce, who will likely be disgruntled as the season progresses. He is a player that the Texans could make a surprise cut after preseason anyway and has been rumored to be traded. Houston can get all they can out of Pierce instead of having him wither deep on the depth or cut him for nothing. The Texans could ask a player at a certain position group in need of support or get a middle-of-the-round draft pick for the 2025 NFL Draft.