The Bengals were ready to release Joe Mixon after signing Zack Moss in NFL free agency, but they managed to acquire an asset for the veteran running back.
Cincinnati offloaded Mixon in a trade with the Texans Tuesday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It isn't yet clear what Houston is sending back to the Bengals.
Mixon spent the first seven years of his career with the Bengals after being a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Oklahoma product has four career 1,000-yard seasons, including the 2023 season, during which he logged 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns on 257 carries.
Mixon was a true workhorse for the Bengals and will now try to fill that same role with the Texans, who lost their leading rusher from 2023, Devin Singletary, to the Giants in free agency.
Below are the full details of the Joe Mixon trade.
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Joe Mixon trade details
Texans get:
- RB Joe Mixon
Bengals get:
- 2024 seventh-round pick
The Bengals sending Mixon to the Texans shouldn't be viewed as a surprise. He was effective at times during his seven seasons with the Bengals, but his efficiency waned in recent years. Mixon averaged just a middling 4.0 yards per carry in 31 games over the past two seasons and topped 100 rushing yards in a single game just twice in that span.
Mixon was viewed as a cap casualty candidate because of his decline and a contract set to pay him $5.75 million in 2024. Once the Bengals signed the powerful Zack Moss, who recorded 794 yards and five touchdowns on 183 carries with the Colts in 2023, to go with the shifty and speedy Chase Brown, the writing was on the wall for Mixon.
MORE: Breaking down the Bengals' RB depth chart after Zack Moss signing, Mixon trade
That the Bengals acquired an asset for a player they were willing to cut is solid, even if it is just a seventh-rounder. They deserve credit for pulling off the deal.
But why did the Texans trade for Mixon? There are a few simple reasons. First, they lost the Saquon Barkley sweepstakes to the Eagles, eliminating their top free-agent running back target. Then, they lost Singletary in free agency and needed to replace him.
The Texans could have targeted Derrick Henry but had competition for him. Drafting a running back was also an option, but the 2024 NFL Draft is relatively weak at the position. That led the Texans to turn to Mixon, and the Bengals were more than happy to offload him to give Houston a proven, veteran option at running back.
Joe Mixon stats
Mixon has run for 6,412 yards and 49 touchdowns during his seven-season career while recording 283 catches, 2,139 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. The Texans will hope that he can be a three-down workhorse for them, much like he was for the Bengals.
Below is a look at Mixon's stats from his seven seasons in Cincinnati:
| Year | Games | Carries | Rushing yards | Rush TDs | Catches | Receiving yards | Receiving TDs |
| 2017 | 14 | 178 | 626 | 4 | 30 | 287 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 237 | 1,168 | 8 | 43 | 296 | 1 |
| 2019 | 16 | 278 | 1,137 | 5 | 35 | 287 | 3 |
| 2020 | 6 | 119 | 428 | 3 | 21 | 138 | 1 |
| 2021 | 16 | 292 | 1,205 | 13 | 42 | 314 | 3 |
| 2022 | 14 | 210 | 814 | 7 | 60 | 441 | 2 |
| 2023 | 17 | 257 | 1,034 | 9 | 52 | 376 | 3 |
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Joe Mixon contract
Mixon is in the final year of a two-year, $11.5 million deal he signed with the Bengals in July 2023. He will be a free agent in 2025, so the Texans are renting him for just $5.75 million for the 2024 season.
If Mixon pans out, the Texans can offer the soon-to-be 28-year-old an extension. If not, they can move on from him after the season — or at any point during it without taking a dead cap hit.
Joe Mixon fantasy outlook 2024
Mixon is entering his age-28 season, and his rushing yards per game have dipped noticeably over the past two seasons. He's still averaging around 4.0 yards per carry and managed 1,034 yards and nine rushing TDs while playing every game last season, though. He's also an adept receiver, hauling in 52 receptions last year. How that will play with a Texans team that generated just 3.7 yards per carry last season remains to be seen, but with Dameon Pierce commanding a decent number of carries, Mixon figures to see a downtick in rushing yardage no matter what.
He could salvage his value by catching a bunch of passes and punching in a bunch of short touchdowns, similar to James Conner's resurgence in Arizona. Mixon is two years older than Conner, but Houston's high-powered offense should provide him opportunities. He should be drafted as a low-end RB2 or flex, but don't write him off completely. — Matt Lutovsky
