Patriots Predicted To Land Former Starting Running Back In Big Trade

The New England Patriots are atop the AFC East and could look to bolster their roster ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

The Patriots have been linked to adding help on offense, whether that’s a wide receiver or a running back.

Ahead of the trade deadline, NFL insider Bill Barnwell of ESPN predicts the Patriots will acquire running back Dameon Pierce from the Houston Texans.

“The Patriots would land running back depth in Pierce, who ran for 939 yards as a rookie before falling down the depth chart with DeMeco Ryans’ arrival,” Barnwell wrote in a piece published Thursday. “Pierce has played just 23 offensive snaps this season and would be the replacement for Antonio Gibson, who is out for the year with a torn ACL, as the third running back in New England.”

Pierce would add some depth behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, and give Mike Vrabel another offensive weapon.

The Texans selected Pierce in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pierce won the starting job as a rookie, but he was the backup option in 2023 and 2024.

To begin this season, Pierce has had a limited role with the Texans, which is why his name has come up in trade rumors. With the Patriots, he could be a third-down back and replace Gibson.

Pierce has rushed for just 10 yards on two carries this season. In his career, he’s rushed for 1,674 yards on 410 carries and eight touchdowns. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal, so it would be a low-cost move for New England.