Cincinnati Bengals trading RB Joe Mixon to Houston Texans

The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to part ways with Joe Mixon, but their approach to doing so has changed. Initially intending to release him, they’ve opted to trade him to the Houston Texans, as reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The specifics of the trade have not yet been disclosed.

This decision came after the Bengals had originally planned to release Mixon on Monday, but their plans shifted following the signing of free-agent running back Zack Moss. Mixon had taken a pay cut last offseason to stay with the Bengals, and it seemed inevitable that they would part ways this year. By trading Mixon, who had a salary cap figure of $8.85 million, the Bengals save $6.1 million on the cap with $2.75 million in dead money.

The Texans, who were reportedly pursuing Saquon Barkley, found themselves in need of a running back after Devin Singletary joined the New York Giants. After assessing the early rush on running backs in free agency, Houston made a sensible move in acquiring Mixon, who has one year left on his contract and is expected to cost the Texans around $5.75 million.

Mixon’s physical playing style aligns well with the Texans’ needs, and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik should be able to extract another positive season from him. However, at 27 years old, Mixon showed signs of slowing down last season, with fewer explosive plays and broken tackles compared to previous years. Nonetheless, he should contribute to keeping the Texans in favorable down and distances, an area they struggled with early last season before Singletary’s arrival.

Although Mixon possesses some ability as a pass-catcher, he hasn’t been utilized heavily in that role during his time in Cincinnati. Unless the Texans believe there’s untapped potential for Mixon as a receiver, they still have a need for a low-cost third-down receiving back.