TEXANS ROSTER CUTS
What to make of the Houston Texans surprising roster moves
Aug 30, 2022, 4:16 pm
Texans RB Dameon Pierce looks like the clear lead back after Marlon Mack was cut. Photo by Getty Images.
The Houston Texans sent shockwaves through the league when word came down Tuesday that the team is cutting RB Marlon Mack.
Dameon Pierce, Houston’s new apparent RB1. pic.twitter.com/xe3peYPBDk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2022
This cut has many across the league penciling in Dameon Pierce as the Texans No. 1 back, but don't be surprised if Houston adds another running back in short order. Rex Burkhead will play a role with Pierce, but it's hard to imagine the Texans can't find a better running mate to go with Pierce. GM Nick Caserio should be combing through today's cuts for another back.
Another big move that went down today was the Texans trading DL Ross Blacklock and a 7th round pick to the Vikings for a 6th round pick.
Texans acquired sixth-round draft pick in exchange for former second-round defensive tackle Ross Blacklock and a seventh-round selection, per a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 30, 2022
Blacklock never panned out after being drafted in the 2nd round in 2020. Blacklock was the player the Texans drafted with the compensation they received in the DeAndre Hopkins trade, along with RB David Johnson. We can now safely say, Bill O'Brien and Jack Easterby's terrible decision to trade DeAndre Hopkins was an epic failure. We all knew it at the time, but now we can officially call it one of the worst trades in NFL history. Way to go, Bill! It's no surprise he's nowhere to be found in the NFL.
Finally, guard Max Scharping was cut today as well, marking another high pick from the O'Brien era that didn't work out. Clearly, GM Nick Caserio has no problem clearing out all these O'Brien draft flops. But it does make us wonder why it took so long to cut RB David Johnson.
One thing is for sure, with Nick Caserio at the helm, the Texans clearly have more talent on the roster and hopefully better days are ahead.
To see a full list of the Texans cuts, click here.
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Isaac Paredes has been a steady force in the middle of the Astros’ order, but a tweaked hamstring suffered during Thursday’s win over the White Sox may force Houston to recalibrate, again.
If Paredes misses time, the most logical shuffle would see Jose Altuve sliding back to second base, with Mauricio Dubón stepping in at third. It’s a reasonable patch. But internally, there’s also some intrigue around whether Cam Smith—currently thriving in right field—could slide back to his original position on the infield. The idea isn’t without merit; Smith is the club’s best offensive option at third in Paredes’ absence. But defensively, it’s hard to justify moving him right now. Smith made several standout plays in the Chicago series, reinforcing just how important his glove has become to the Astros’ outfield defense. One thing is for sure, the Astros can't afford to play both Dubon and Brendon Rodgers in the infield regularly. The offense would take a huge hit.
Timing, however, might be on Houston’s side. The next stretch of games features the Twins, Athletics, and Angels—three teams the Astros can beat even while navigating lineup instability. It helps that Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker are showing signs of life at the plate. Diaz, in particular, has been red-hot, posting an OPS north of 1.200 over the past week. Walker is batting over .300 during that same span, giving the Astros enough firepower to survive short-term turbulence.
Elsewhere, the outfield presents its own set of choices. Jacob Melton has shown enough in the field to warrant a serious look as Chas McCormick’s replacement when he returns from injury. He’s still searching for consistency at the plate, batting under .200 in his first 10 big league games. But his arm and left-handed bat give manager Joe Espada a little more lineup flexibility—especially with Yordan Alvarez still out and the offense skewing right-handed.
For now, the Astros have room to adjust. But if Paredes ends up missing significant time, they’ll need more than just a few temporary solutions to keep their momentum going.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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