Drastically declining production
Elliott’s 2022 season with the Dallas Cowboys might have been sufficient for fantasy football players but certainly not as a lead back in an NFL rushing attack. The 27-year-old not only produced career-worst marks but did so in complete freefall.
In 15 games played Elliott produced career lows in yards per attempt (3.8), total rushing yards (876), and rushing yards per game (58.4), according to Pro Football Reference. While Elliott produced 12 rushing touchdowns, he did so as primarily a red zone threat rather than the three-down back that we grew accustomed to over the years.
In other words, Elliott’s production no longer warrants serious merit for a considerable role out of a team’s backfield. To boot, most running back decline begins around the ages of 27 to 28 and with Elliott turning 28 in July, he finds himself on the wrong side of that timeline.
Additionally, for a rebuilding club such as the Houston Texans to have a chance at signing Elliott, they would almost certainly have to offer a role as a starter and a decent chunk of snaps out of the backfield. With emerging star Dameon Pierce leading the backfield, the Texans simply cannot afford to risk hindering his development to add a running back in decline.