Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce entered the 2023 campaign No. 1 on the team’s depth chart. It didn’t take long for him to lose that spot to Devin Singletary.

Well, Singletary is now playing elsewhere, as he signed with the New York Giants in free agency. That probably means Pierce can reassume his role as the Texans’ featured back next season, right?

Wrong.

Houston swung a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals to acquire halfback Joe Mixon, once again pushing Pierce into a complementary role.

However, just because Pierce is no longer the starter does not mean that the Texans have given up on him.

During a recent appearance on Sports Radio 610, general manager Nick Caserio made it clear that Houston still sees a role for Pierce heading into 2024.

“The big thing right now is to be in good condition — which he is,” Caserio said. “Watching him move on the field, he looks pretty good. Everybody’s looking forward to the opportunity in front of them; you can’t worry about what’s happened in the past. He’s got as good an attitude as anyone on the team. We’re glad DP is here. He’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing. He’s working his a– off so far, which is great to see.”

Pierce played in 14 games this past year, rushing for 416 yards and a couple of touchdowns while averaging a meager 2.9 yards per carry.

The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Florida, was selected by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He enjoyed a solid rookie campaign, registering 939 yards and four scores on the ground, logging 4.3 yards per attempt.

Houston is hoping Pierce can rediscover that sort of production in his third season.