The 2017 draft class produced many of the league’s starting running backs, and beyond the recently extended Christian McCaffrey, some of the top names have begun discussing new deals. Aaron Jones, Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon comprise this contingent thus far.
Set to employ Joe Burrow on a rookie salary through at least 2022, the Bengals will have more financial flexibility in the next few years. And they want to extend Mixon. One season remains on the former second-rounder’s rookie contract.
“He’s in a year that he can be extended, and he is a guy that we visited with,” Bengals player personnel director Duke Tobin said during an interview with 700 WLW’s Lance McAllister (via Pro Football Talk). “We’ll go through those discussions and see if there is a fit or a match for a long-term contract with him, obviously a guy we value quite a bit. The great thing about Joe is he goes about it the right way.
“… He’s the type of guy you want to lock up to a long-term deal. We’ll see if we can find the commonality to get that done over time here.”
Mixon is coming off back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, doing so without the aid of an upper-echelon offensive line in either season. The former Oklahoma back finished last season with 100-yard games in three of Cincinnati’s final four games. The Bengals are unlikely to venture into the salary range of McCaffrey’s running back-record $16MM-per-year deal, and the franchise will surely take into account the expensive contracts for backs that have not worked out — from Todd Gurley to David Johnson to Le’Veon Bell.
The Bengals and Mixon may have to work out a compromise that places him in the upper reaches of the running back market. Unless the Bengals plan to use their franchise tag on A.J. Green again next year, they would have that in play for Mixon. The Titans and Cardinals respectively tagged Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake, with Arizona deploying the transition tag, and the Bengals will have that as leverage in talks with their 23-year-old starter.
Offer him 4 years 44-48 mill….
If he wants Gurley money tag and trade or let him walk and let him add to your draft pick comp formula.
Bengals should be dead set on improving the oline. Everybody but LT needs an upgrade. Even then we will see how Jonah Williams does this year.
I definitely wouldn’t start burrow behind that oline. I’d let Finley play the year, get in top 5 draft pick territory, and spend the picks on improving the offense for burrow in 2021.
They currently have 80 mill in cap space for 2021 which could be used to sign some OL. Joe Thuney and Corey Lindsey at G and C would be good upgrades for 2021.
The thought is there but with an added wild card team. And an wide open afc after the chiefs and ravens maybe titans or Texans or bills. You don’t have a lot of worthy teams. If their defense makes a jump and burrow is the savings grace they could sneak into a wildcard
Texans? Really? Chiefs Ravens I see … as a Bills fan I’m hopeful but they have a killer schedule … Titans who knows … the AFC could really be a 2 team race
Don’t forget about the money side either. Mike Brown prioritizes that as much as anyone in the league. Attendance dropped significantly, and you’re not going to sell very many Finley jerseys. They took a year off, and now it’s time to re-brand to maximize profits.
The o-line actually was pretty good the last few games. I agree upgrades are needed but they’re not that far off.
MIXON’s the one !!
MIXON NOW !!
MIXON more than ever !!
He swears he’s not a crook …
What about that whole being bad thing?
Who agrees x-factor on madden is stupid
You mean Madden Ultimate Cash grab, right? I mean, it doesn’t even have coordinators. Coordinators! It has a built in face generator, but uses the same faces from 2012! What do their modelers do, any way?
Everything about that franchise is stupid. And I’m not talking about the Bengals.
You guys talking about Front Page Sports Pro Football Simulator ‘95?
Thats exclusive rights for you. I saw gameplay from last years game and I legit thought it was from 2005. NFL 2k5 was the peak of NFL gaming.
I still like Tecmo Super Bowl
I remember when super Tecmo bowl was released for SNES and it had the “x play” I thought it was the most revolutionary gaming advancement ever
How could anything be more revolutionary than ping pong on a Commodore 64?
Compared to other games of its era, Madden really isn’t more revolutionary than Ping Pong on a Commodore 64
108 receptions over 3 years to go with 1100 yard rushing seasons. Mixon is an elite back and will likely demand to be paid like one. I’ll be curious to see if cinci pays him what he wants.
If they give him a 4 year extension, most of the guaranteed money will be paid by the time Burrows needs a mega deal (if he is that good) and Mixon will be 29 at its completion. If he is still going strong at that point, the Bengals can think about making Cincy his only team. If he falls off after getting his payday, it wont burn the teams cap like bad contracts do to good teams.
Exactly, don’t forget if the ca0 jumps like expected. Teams are banking on that rookie qb deal window these days. Might as well pay Mixon and build that defense for a run or two, and if JB works out, Mixons off the nooks by the time they have to pay him. Im a ravens fan, and if you look at the momeu they’ve neen spending, it’s all around Lamar and a lot of it ends when his rookie deal will. It’s the best way unless you have a Tom Brady type who will take less to win.
Dammm I seen the first comment say 4 years 44/48mil.
I know he’s in/near his prime and has been really productive but that’s a huge bag to give a RB.
Remember Melvin Gordon just signed for 8mil, Mark Ingram last year signed 3 years at 5mil a year. Leonard Fournette can’t agree to his value and is most likely hitting FA. McCaffrey who broke records, and has being elite since entering the league and last year carried the Panthers signed a 4 year 64mil deal.
Bengals have lots of holes to fill and I know you just got Burrow but dammm that’s a lot of money for a RB. Why not wait and see what Marlon Mack, Alvin Kamara, Aaron Jones and stuff all get paid before you rush into giving him a huge deal above value. If you leave it to late and can’t agree to terms then tag him and trade him.
They have the money, better to get a deal signed and get the guaranteed money out of the way before other players need extensions. If he rushes for 1500 yards this year he will want McCaffrey money. You can get a 1100 yard rusher signed and hope he improves behind a better O-line.
I agree with what you’re saying but don’t put Marlon mack in the conversation with the top backs in the league. That guy has a top 3 line and is still mediocre enough that they took a rb round 2 to replace
I understand both you’re points but don’t you think maybe that money could go else where. The O Line is like cardboard and the defence is Swiss cheese against the running game.
Mixon might be making metres but he doesn’t actually contribute much to winning games cause the Bengals don’t hardly win. I don’t think Burrow is that great a QB and I don’t see a huge ceiling for him to improve into. In expect him to be similar to a Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and take a few years to grow into the league.
If you pay Mixon and keep him, all he’s going to do is help you do is go to 6 wins instead of 4 and getting better picks. Plus his peak is more like now and for the next 2/3 years that’s probably were Burrow will be playing his worse.
I think you should trade him and get a nice return, build a o line to protect Burrow and help him improve. Then build from that, don’t pay a really good RB lots just to be slightly better but still bad and not have money to spend on positions you need more
In 2019 the Bengals had exactly 2 players play over 50% of the snaps on the o-line. They spent a 1st round pick on Jonah Williams and lost him. That line will be nothing but better. Defensively, they spent almost the most in free agency, adding DJ Reader to a D-line that already features two perennial pro-bowlers in Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap.
Granted, we haven’t seen Burrow in the NFL, but he just put up the greatest college season we’ve ever seen. In a pro style offense! 60 TDs! To say he’s “not that good” is just embarrassing. Mixon has been a bell cow with minimal injuries and puts up high yardage totals behind a shambled line. He deserves an extension, but nothing north of 10MM.
The Bengals have been a dumpster fire for the past 5-6 years or so, driving fans away. But with a new HC, scheme, and FA spending, they’re pulling all the right strings to get people in the seats. I condone everything they’re doing to re-face that franchise.
That includes a Mixon extension.
Bengals is as cheap as the Cleveland indians owner, so when his contract comes up he will be a FA, but maybe brown will surprise me