Houston Texans: 3 Reasons why Marlon Mack improves the offense in 2022

The Houston Texans rushing game will benefit by adding Marlon Mack in 2022.

This offseason has produced some good news and positivity for the Houston Texans and one of the players added to the roster this offseason brings talent and experience, and hopefully he’s the player he once was before his injury.

That player is running back Marlon Mack, and he has the opportunity to be a star for the Texans, as he hopefully erases the negativity that was the rushing game of the franchise from 2021.

As a team last season, the Texans rushed for 1,422 yards on 420 attempts, leaving much more needed and wanted for the offense when it came to the rushing attack, or lack thereof.

Rex Burkhead led the Texans in rushing last season with 427 yards on 122 carries, with 149 of those yards coming against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16. His next highest rushing total in a game last season was 47 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17.

Mark Ingram was the next rushing leader for the Texans last season, and he was only on the team for the first seven weeks. His rushing totals with the Texans in ’21 included 294 yards rushing on 92 carries, as he was the Houston rushing leader before he moved on to the New Orleans Saints.

Other running backs to carry the football for the Texans in ’21 were David Johnson (228 yards), Phillip Lindsay (130 yards), Royce Freeman (92 yards), Scottie Phillips (13 yards) and Jaylen Samuels (9 yards).

That won’t cut it for any NFL offense, especially a Houston offense that needed a rushing game to lend a hand in the progression of a rookie quarterback. Not all of it is on those running backs, as the offensive line didn’t help matters either with injuries, and at times play that didn’t live up to an NFL standard didn’t help the cause either.

That’s all in the past now as the Texans have not only added Mack through free agency, but they also drafted Dameon Pierce from The University of Florida as a power running back to make the rushing attack better than when they arrived.

As for the veteran Mack, he’s penciled in as the starter for the franchise, and in thinking that way, here are three reasons why the former Colts star back can do the same thing with the Texans and make the offense better that it was in ’21.

3. He’ll take the pressure off Davis Mills

One of the most important aspects of the addition of Marlon Mack this offseason had to be his ability to make Davis Mills a better overall quarterback in his second season.

Mack — who is returning to full-time action for the first time since the ’20 season after suffering an Achilles injury — brings stability to a running back roster that had none last season. There was a rotating numbers of backs taking carries during the four-win Texans season of ’21, but if Mack can stay healthy, there will be a noticeable difference with this offense.

Having Mack join offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton this season is great as well because that duo has a vast amount of experience in the NFL, and when it comes to the offense, if a player makes the young quarterback better, then he’s well worth the investment that has been made.

Houston also could have gained a steal in signing Mack this offseason as he’s due just $1.25 million in base salary with a signing bonus of $250,000. He also has a roster bonus of $205,000, so the $1.7 million total for Mack could pay huge dividends this upcoming season if he can help aid in the progression of Mills in his second season at quarterback.