Shortly after the draft, fifth-year Bengals HC Zac Taylor indicated Joe Mixon‘s future is “here with the team.” The Bengals have employed Mixon as their starting back since his 2017 rookie season, and Samaje Perine declined their offer before signing with the Broncos.
But the prospect of a Mixon pay cut surfaced before Taylor’s comments. Despite the coach’s endorsement, the team is still planning on a Mixon pay reduction, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
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Although Mixon and Dalvin Cook were each part of a deep 2017 running back class, the former is a year younger. Mixon will turn 27 in July. But the Bengals are following the Vikings and Packers leads in aiming to adjust their seventh-year starter’s extension. Mixon and Cook signed their respective re-ups just before the 2020 season, with the Packers matching the Bengals’ Mixon AAV for Aaron Jones ($12MM). Cook’s is no longer an active contract, while Jones accepted a trim in exchange for more 2023 guarantees. Mixon’s deal calls for a $9.4MM 2023 base salary and a $12.8MM cap hit.
The Bengals remain ready to give Mixon, whose $12MM-per-year deal runs through 2024, a late-offseason ultimatum. Mixon refusing the reduction will likely lead to a release and the team searching for outside help, Dehner adds.
While this is certainly not an optimal time for Mixon to be forced into a salary trim, his 2023 status has been a talking point since the Combine. The Bengals, however, have the most significant contract in franchise history to hammer out before clarity emerges. Joe Burrow and the team have been in talks on what will almost certainly be a record-setting extension since late March. Burrow’s re-up will change Cincinnati’s blueprint, and it may well affect how the team navigates its receiver situation. And Mixon’s future will be impacted by Burrow’s deal.
But the Bengals went through their offseason program with Mixon looking again like a central figure in their offense, per Dehner. The former second-round pick has started 71 games and ripped off three 1,000-yard seasons. Last year was not one of them, with Mixon totaling just 814 rushing yards and missing three games. Mixon’s rushing yards-per-game number dropped from 75.3 in 2021 to 58.1 last season. That said, the Oklahoma alum did add a career-best 441 receiving yards. Mixon has logged 1,545 career touches. Since 2017, only Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara have topped that. His age aside, Mixon is on the downside of his career.
Mixon may reluctantly agree to the Bengals’ terms, seeing as this marks the best opportunity to remain a full-time back — especially with Perine out of the mix. While he could also hold the line and see if a Bengals team aiming to dethrone the Chiefs is keen on losing a proven upper-echelon back, the Bengals would have free agency options as well. Four-year Browns back Kareem Hunt still available. Cook also is taking his time, waiting for a competitive offer on a contending team. Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson are also available. As for in-house options, the Bengals drafted Illinois’ Chase Brown in the fifth round. He joins fifth-year back Trayveon Williams and 2021 sixth-rounder Chris Evans on Cincy’s depth chart.
The batch of accomplished backs on the market also will probably factor into the Bengals’ Mixon price point. So will the 2023 developments at the position. No back secured more than $6.5MM per year this offseason; the Cowboys and Vikings moved on from their pricey starters; Austin Ekeler was forced to accept a low-level Chargers incentive package after requesting a trade; the Giants have pulled Saquon Barkley offers off the table. While it will be interesting to see how this Mixon saga ends, it seems a near certainty his contract will be adjusted before Week 1.
I’d sign Dalvin Cook before I’d re-up Mixon, as he’s more versatile and stays out of trouble off the field.
Cook fumbles once every 67 carries compared to Mixon’s 219. The Bengals can’t afford to lose a player who provides that level of ball security…especially when they have no RB on the roster to fill the void.
That’s kinda dirty to approach Mixon now when he has no options but to accept anything. If you want him to take a cut, approach him early. I’m not a Mixon fan but other players see how you treat your players and it may hurt in FA. Bengals graded low in the players opinion polls
The Bengals are trying to pay hard ball one season too early. There’s two years left on the deal. If the Benglas cut Mixon he still walks away with $5,500,000. And he doesn’t have to play. Next year, Mixon only has $2,750,000 of dead money against $10,383,205 of cap savings.
The cap savings of $7,291,176 this year will not replace Mixon, who is sure-handed as a receiver, doesn’t fumble as a runner and a big play threat as both. Surely Burrow would also like to keep Mixon in town. This year will almost certainly be Mixon’s last year in Cincinnati as $10,383,205 will be too rich a pay day for Mixon, one year older. Since it’s Mixon’s last year either way, he should play hard ball on no renegotiation this year.