Conley In, Mack Out: Texans Practice Squad Shuffle Continues

WR Chris Conley is back on the Texans practice squad, RB Marlon Mack has been released.

Monday September 5, 2022

The Houston Texans announced more changes to the practice squad today, as they have re-signed WR Chris Conley to the practice squad, and once again released RB Marlon Mack.

Conley, 29, is entering his 8th NFL season. Originally drafted by the Chiefs in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft, Conley spent 4 years in Kansas City and 2 years in Jacksonville before signing with the Texans in 2021.

Last season, Conley played in 16 games for Houston, including 10 starts. He finished the year with 22 receptions for 323 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 14.7 YPC.

The Texans WR room is still thin, and Conley can certainly help by adding a veteran presence and depth at the position. GM Nick Caserio indicated it was very likely Conley would be back with the team when Conley was originally released, and has praised Conley for his attitude, work ethic, and the respect he has earned from his teammates.

Meanwhile, Marlon Mack finds himself on the outside of the revolving practice squad door. Mack signed a 1 year, $2M contract with the Texans in the offseason, and was widely presumed to have the inside track on the starting running back job. Now 26, entering his sixth season, Mack was a surprise release when the team cut down to 53 last week. He was later added to the practice squad.

Mack had seized the top running back position in Indianapolis in 2019, rushing for 1091 yards and 8 touchdowns, but suffered a torn Achilles tendon just 4 carries into Week 1 in 2020 and missed the rest of the regular season.

In 2021, working his way back from the injury, he found himself buried on the depth chart as Jonathan Taylor became the NFL rushing leader. He finished the year with 28 carries for 101 yards over 6 games in a reserve role.

Now fully recovered from the injury, Mack has said that he feels as good as he did prior to the injury, but the emergence of rookie Dameon Pierce has played a part in the Texans decisions to release him. While his release (again) doesn’t preclude him from returning to the team, he is free to sign anywhere he chooses.