Better options available on the market
Ezekiel Elliott is far from the only intriguing name left on the free agent market. While the quality of available backs has certainly decreased since the beginning of the offseason, there are still plenty of depth options available for grabs.
According to Spotrac, the best remaining options include established backs Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, and Dalvin Cook. An argument can be made that former Washington Commanders running back J.D. McKissic can even serve as a better depth option because of his receiving prowess out of the backfield.
If the Houston Texans are going to add a third back behind their established two-headed horseman, they are going to need one with versatility. While Devin Singletary already provides the team with this flexibility, having multiple backs that can help diversify your offense is key to keeping a defense on its toes.
Each of the available aforementioned backs provides more value as a receiver out of the backfield than Elliott does at this stage. For a Texans offense that is focused on motion and aggressiveness, adding a do-it-all back would increase the chances of their effectiveness rather than relying on a 28-year-old Elliott finding his stride in the passing game in his eighth NFL season.