Last season, the Dallas Cowboys had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL. Dallas finished the year ranked 27th in rushing yards with 1,705 yards and tied for 30th in yards per carry with four.
Their poor ground game resulted in them having to rely on the pass, which is an issue when a backup quarterback is forced to play half of the season. That said, new head coach Brian Schottenheimer has put an emphasis on the ground game since being hired.
When speaking at the NFL scouting combine in February, Schottenheimer said, "No, at the end of the day, you have to be able to run the football. We’ve made a commitment that we want to be great on both sides of the line of scrimmage."
The Cowboys then backed this claim up by signing running backs Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams in free agency. While those are good additions, Dallas should consider trading for Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce before training camp.
Cowboys Must Consider Trading for Dameon Pierce
Some Cowboys fans may question if this move even makes sense for the Cowboys. With Sanders reportedly looking explosive in OTAs and minicamp, and Williams filling that bruiser role, Pierce wouldn't fit anywhere in the room. However, any reports on running backs during OTAs and minicamp must be taken with a grain of salt since they aren't wearing pads.
It's possible that Sanders will continue to look good when training camp starts on July 22. But there's also a real chance that when the pads come on, he looks like he did in Carolina. That is why the Cowboys should at least call about Pierce before training camp.
Throughout three NFL seasons, Pierce has rushed for 1,648 yards on 405 carries, scored eight touchdowns and has 45 broken tackles. His best season came as a rookie when he rushed for 939 yards on 220 carries while scoring four touchdowns and breaking 27 tackles.
Though Pierce has failed to reach those heights again, he's had fewer opportunities in the Texans' backfield after his rookie year. Coming to Dallas would allow him a fresh start and a chance to be the lead rusher again.
Furthermore, Pierce provides value in the return game. Over the last two years, he returned 16 kicks for 564 yards and one touchdown. Moreover, he has averaged 35.3 yards per return, which is the best in the NFL for players with over five returns a year over the past two seasons. Even though the Cowboys have KaVontae Turpin, having another capable returner is never a bad thing.
Dallas acquiring Pierce would benefit both sides since Houston's running back depth chart is so deep and the Cowboys could potentially use another back. Thus, Jerry and Stephen Jones should definitely make this call.