By Amar Singh
sports
NFL Running Back Might Be Released This Offseason
Joe Mixon has amassed more than 1,200 scrimmage yards in four of the previous five seasons, but this summer he might be a budget victim.
According to Jay Morrison of The Athletic, it "feels closer to a certainty than a simple chance" that the Bengals will release the running back.
Cincinnati can save $7.3 million on the budget, which they can use to pay for Joe Burrow's extension.
"Named a captain for the first time in 2022, Mixon brings more juice and energy to the field than anyone on the roster when he gets going," Morrison wrote.
"But he struggled to get going for much of 2022, and the Bengals got equal production, the Bengals can bring him back at a more affordable price and look for a younger back during — or after — the draft."
In 2021, Mixon recorded a career-high 1,205 running yards and 16 total scores, earning him a spot in his first Pro Bowl. He did, however, only manage 3.9 yards per run last year.
Mixon had a case of aggravated threats dropped earlier this month. The 26-year-old is accused of pointing a pistol at a lady and telling her that she should be shot right away.
Morrison claims that when the Bengals signed Mixon to a four-year contract in 2020, they "envisioned this situation" of having to release him.
Burrow's starting contract includes a fifth-year option, giving him two more seasons. The main objective for Cincy going into the summer should be to extend the franchise's star QB.