HOUSTON — The Houston Texans plan to sign former Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported on Sunday. Wilson wrote that the deal follows a successful workout.
Vaughn was one of four running backs Houston worked out Sunday. Blake Watson, Jordan Mims, and T.J. Harden were the others. The Texans also plan to sign safety George Odum, Wilson reported the same evening.
Houston has David Montgomery and Woody Marks at the top of its depth chart and Owen Wright behind them. British Brooks, Jawhar Jordan, and Noah Whittington are dealing with injuries, and Joshua Pitsenberger is on injured reserve.
Dallas drafted Vaughn 212th overall in 2023 out of Kansas State. Across two seasons, he carried 40 times for 110 yards and never scored. He caught 10 of 12 targets for 58 yards. He played seven of his 14 games in 2024, when he ran 17 times for 70 yards. The Cowboys waived him at final cuts before the 2025 season.
Where Deuce Vaughn Has Been Since Dallas
The Denver Broncos put Vaughn on their practice squad in September 2025 and gave him a reserve/future contract in January. Denver waived him in May. In the UFL this year, Vaughn was on the Orlando Storm roster with no statistics listed for him.
Vaughn measured 5-6 and 176 pounds in the NFL and ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at his 2023 pro day.
At Kansas State from 2020 to 2022, Vaughn ran for 3,604 yards on 651 carries with 34 rushing touchdowns. That yardage total is second in program history. His 116 receptions and 1,280 receiving yards are school records for a running back. He had 21 100-yard rushing games, ran for 1,404 yards in 2021 and 1,558 in 2022, and was a consensus All-American in 2022.
Vaughn is from Round Rock and played at Cedar Ridge High School. His father, Chris Vaughn, has worked in the Cowboys’ scouting department.
The Dallas Cowboys Running Back Room Now
Dallas used two 2025 draft picks on running backs, taking Jaydon Blue 149th overall and Phil Mafah 239th. Both are still on the roster.
Javonte Williams signed a three-year, $24 million extension in February and carried 252 times for 1,201 yards last season. Malik Davis started Saturday at Arizona and carried 5 times for 29 yards with an 8-yard touchdown catch. Blue led Dallas with 15 carries for 75 yards. Mafah took his only carry 15 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The preseason finale is Friday against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff at 7 p.m. CT on CBS. Dallas has to cut from 91 players to 53 before the opener. Week 1 is Sept. 13 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants, with kickoff at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
