This past Friday, the Houston Texans made one of their more significant signings of free agency in running back Marlon Mack. Mack, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, represents one of the few outside free agents they’ve added to the team this off-season and a much needed presence in the running back room.
Mack ran for 1,091 yards during the 2019 campaign for the Colts and was set to share the backfield with rookie running back Jonathan Taylor prior to an unfortunate ACL tear in September of 2020. Taylor, of course, went on to become one of the best running backs in the league with the backfield to himself. As such, Mack was left as the odd man out and forced to leave to find opportunity for volume.
The 26-year-old joins a Houston team with Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman as the primary competition for snaps. Mack lacks high-end athleticism but has patience and power to navigate between the tackles and is a seemingly great fit for what Pep Hamilton has preached he wants to do in the 2022 perspective.
From exclusively a skill perspective, Mack factors in as the team’s immediate best running back on first and second downs. Seemingly, he’s filled a large void where Houston was once concerned about how they would aid second year quarterback Davis Mills
However, his presence on the roster is not one where the Texans should feel comfortable exhaling at the position. They still have one of the weakest running back groups in the league and will likely need more than their a motivated Marlon Mack to make a splash in the AFC South this upcoming season.
They need another running back.
Based on general manager Nick Caserio’s other moves thus far this off-season, another addition through free agency seems unlikely. This places the ability of Houston to add another the back solely on the 2022 NFL Draft. If there’s no doubt to the question of “if,” the new narrative becomes: when? A question that may best be broken down into three tiers if one operates under the assumption the Texans won’t trade.
In the draft, Breece Hall has separated into a tier of his own by all accounts. If Houston wants a shot at the three-down back, he will likely need to be selected with the team’s first pick of Day 2 at 37th overall. There are mumblings of teams selecting Hall late on Day 1 and it would appear virtually impossible for the back to last until their next pick at 68th overall. Hall would provide an immediate bell cow presence to the offense and a dynamic in the back field that the Texans haven’t employed in years. The premium talent that provides a back you can construct an offense around will also require a premium pick.
Breece Hall since 2019:
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) March 31, 2022
🥇 3,920 rushing yards (most in P5)
🥇2,310 yards after contact (most)
🥇 50 rushing TDs (most)
🥇 194 forced missed tackles (most)pic.twitter.com/tYQgsAKqAv
Houston could turn to the next tier of backs if that price is too rich. Two others that still project as potential three-down contributors, Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker and Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller, are likely late Round 2 or early Round 3 picks. Each were dynamic talents at the college level but concerns over Walker’s ability in the passing game and Spiller’s speed that make them less complete prospects than the previously mentioned Hall. Regardless, if selected at Nos. 68 or 80, their presence on the roster would slot either as the immediate top running back on the depth chart after Day 2.
Finally, Houston could bolster their defense & passing game by simply waiting until Day 3. At 107 or pick 108, a variety of names from the Senior Bowl are available and could contribute in more of a committee fashion with Marlon Mack and Burkhead. Tyler Badie from Missouri, although undersized, led the SEC in rushing in 2021. Arizona State’s Rachaad White is a dynamic home run threat that projects well to Pep Hamilton’s scheme. Alabama’s Brian Robinson and Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford are both tough, in between the tackle runners that were a huge part of fueling their teams into the College Football Playoff. The options are endless.
Tyler Badie led the SEC with 1,604 rushing yards and 916 yards after contact in 2021 🐯pic.twitter.com/wBoHQgdQI4
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) February 18, 2022
Whenever Houston decides to address running back, they’ll be in a great position to upgrade the room. Mack’s presence means they no longer have to force a selection they aren’t comfortable with. Hopefully Caserio doesn’t interpret it to mean more than that.
