Texans Cut RB Scottie Phillips: No Fair Opportunity?

After a short two-year stint, The Houston Texans cut running back Scottie Phillips on Monday.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans waived running back Scottie Phillips on Monday afternoon. His release came two days after the Texans added Dameon Pierce to the roster during Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

Phillips' jettison came to no surprise. The Texans' backfield underwent significant turnover with the free-agent acquisitions of Marlon Mack and Dare Ogunbowale, joining Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman. 

Phillips joined the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2020 from Ole Miss, but he never had a realistic chance to showcase his potential. 

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Scottie Phillips 

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Scottie Phillips 

Ole Miss Athletics

Scottie Phillips 

There was a brief moment where it appeared that Phillips would take the helm as Houston's lead back. 

He defined the odds to make the Texans' 53-man roster ahead of the 2021 campaign. Outside of an aging Mark Ingram, Phillips had the most promise. He came into the season after an impressive preseason outing, where he rushed for a team-best 155 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown in three games. 

A lack of faith from Houston's coaching staff and an injury limited Phillips to three games last season. When Phillips was active, he spent the majority of his snaps on special teams.

Scottie Phillips

Scottie Phillips

Scottie Phillips

Phillips' supporters can argue that now will have a chance to join a team that will give him a fair chance to see the field - an opportunity he never had with the Texans. It can be argued: By not playing Phillips, the Texans may have missed an opportunity to fix an inefficient backfield that averaged 87.6 yards the previous two seasons. 

Phillips received eight carries for 22 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three passes for 16 yards and returned five kickoffs during his two-year run in Houston.