Running back Joe Mixon took a pay cut to stick with the Bengals in 2023.
He ended up rushing for 1,034 yards with nine touchdowns, marking the fourth time in his seven-year career that he eclipsed 1,000 yards. He also caught 52 passes for 376 yards with three TDs.
But with just one year left on his contract, there’s no guarantee Mixon will be back with Cincinnati in 2024. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin did not want to directly address Mixon’s future when speaking to the media at this year’s scouting combine.
“I can tell you his role this past year was good,” Tobin said on Tuesday. “He had a really good season for us. I was proud of him — over a thousand yards and double-digit touchdowns and it was a big factor for us. In terms of predicting anybody’s role going forward, I’m not going to do that up here on the podium. Those are roster-building strategies and those are things that we’re talking through as this whole thing unfolds with every player on our roster. It’s not specific to just one.
“Really proud of Joe in the season he had. He did a lot of things to help us get into a point where we had a chance. We didn’t get over the hump, but he put us in a position to have a chance.”
Mixon is set to make $2.21 million in base salary in 2024 with a cap hit of $8.85 million. Should the Bengals elect to release Mixon, the club would save $6.1 million in cap space.
In 97 career games, Mixon has 6,412 yards rushing with 49 rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught 283 passes for 2,139 yards with 13 TDs.