The Texans are hoping Woody Marks and David Montgomery can be a lethal one-two punch in Houston.
After acquiring Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in the offseason, Marks is already forming a dynamic partnership with the veteran running back.
"I'm very excited," Marks told . "Just looking back at the clips with him and Jahmyr Gibbs, it looked like they was having so much fun out there. When the running back room doing good and everybody blocking, it's a party in the running back room. So, we're looking to have that same joy him and Jahmyr Gibbs had bringing it down here in Houston.
"He's a funny guy. We're going over plays and stuff right now. Get on the field for a short amount of time. We run plays. He wanted to change the plays to funny names. He's a great guy. Just working out with him and then with the other backs there, we get along. We're just clicking together."
With the Lions, Montgomery had a special bond with Gibbs as the two were known as Sonic and Knuckles. In Detroit's backfield last season, the duo combined for 1,939 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns while Gibbs contributed five more receiving TDs.
Now, Marks is trying to duplicate their backfield success in Houston with Montgomery in the mix.
In Marks' rookie season, he led the Texans with 703 rushing yards on 196 attempts (3.6 yards per carry), two touchdowns, including 24 receptions for three receiving TDs. It was quite an impressive campaign for the 2025 fourth-round pick out of USC as he led Houston's RB room filled with veterans like Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale.
Nonetheless, Marks has been working during the offseason programs in Houston as he gears up for his second season. He even noticed quarterback C.J. Stroud in the building.
"Yeah, he's been there since March 2, since we started the offseason workout, he's been grinding," Marks said of Stroud. "Got a new look. He kind of told me the end of the season that he was going to cut his hair. I wasn't believing it. He's been working.
"Just seeing the quarterback, the leader of the team out there working in the offseason, not working somewhere else, putting in work at where he belongs at and that's in Houston. He's been doing a tremendous job. He got bigger and stronger. His times when we were running outside, he's getting faster. I'd say he should be using his legs a lot this year, too."
Marks and the Texans will begin minicamp on June 9.
