Dameon Pierce looked like a future star.
The rookie Pierce, in 2022, ran for 939 yards (4.3 ypc) and had another 30 catches for 165 yards.
His downfall was swift, and on Thursday, the Houston Texans waived him, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
If you had told anyone three years ago that Pierce wouldn't even make it to the end of his rookie deal with the Texans, it would've been hard to believe. But that's exactly what happened.
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Why did the Texans waive Dameon Pierce?
The very direct reason was to clear space on the 53-man roster for CB Ajani Carter.
But it's really been a total downfall to being not useful at all for the Texans.
Pierce went from 939 rushing yards as a rookie to 416, then 293, then only 26 this year.
He had at least remained a useful return man, but the Texans haven't even used him like that in recent weeks.
Even with Joe Mixon out all year, Pierce has been a scratch more often than not. Nick Chubb, Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale have all been ahead of him on the depth chart.
Pierce is only 25 and might latch on elsewhere. But the Texans have called it quits on him.
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