One position the Houston Texans may target in free agency is running back. They have the potential to be major participants in this market. Numerous well-known players may be available this year; Tony Pollard, a running back for the Dallas Cowboys, was selected by Pro Football Focus as the ideal candidate for the Texans in 2024.
“Pollard still delivered a strong 83.9 PFF rushing grade (10th) and 1,005 rushing yards (12th),” PFF’s Jonathon Macri wrote. “… Pollard did have slightly better rushing metrics than [Devin] Singletary in 2023 and could be considered an upgrade for an ascending offense looking to add to their arsenal. The Texans are currently slated to lose about 60% of the team’s running back carries in free agency, which is a great number for Pollard to absorb as he looks to recoup some fantasy value.”
The Texans’ desire to pay a running back a large salary, the Cowboys’ desire to keep Pollard, and the Texans’ desire to keep Singletary are the only three factors that will determine whether this happens. Even though any one of those things could go wrong, this is still an interesting option for Houston.
DeMeco Ryans spoke about the necessity to enhance the running game at his press conference after 2023. After Dameon Pierce and Singletary, the squad ended in the lower half of the league in terms of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
Better run-blocking up front, though, may be the solution rather than a completely new rushing attack. If the Texans hope to win the AFC South again and advance farther in the postseason in 2024, they will undoubtedly have to make some roster adjustments. In addition to having the third-most salary cap room this offseason, Houston is likely to have a large number of upcoming free agents.
Given his upside as a dual-threat running back, Pollard was assessed by Spotrac at $6.5 million annually, making him a comparatively low-risk player. Is he worth that, though?
Pollard achieved 1,000 yards of rushing for the second straight season, but after he was named the starting running back for the Cowboys, his yards per carry significantly decreased. Despite only having 193 carries in 2022, he averaged 5.2 yards per run; however, on 252 carries in 2023, he averaged 4.0 yards per carry. Additionally, Pollard scored six touchdowns in the prior season, which is half of what he scored in the previous year (12).
Pollard is one of the more alluring running back alternatives available in free agency. Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Saquon Barkley are all potential free agents this season; they are all better than Singletary and Pierce. The most significant concern is going to be how much the running game will mean in 2024 and how much Texans general manager Nick Caserio values the position.
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