NFL insider Matthew Berry claims that Joe Mixon’s time with the Cincinnati Bengals may be coming to an end.
Berry received word during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis from league sources that Mixon would be cut by the
team this offseason.
“Tyler Boyd is not expected to return and I was told Joe Mixon would be released,” Berry stated in a letter.
It’s hardly shocking that Boyd isn’t anticipated back, but if nothing else, the information about Mixon is intriguing.
After a successful season for the Bengals in which he rushed for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns, Mixon, 27, is
currently off the field. In addition, he had 376 yards and three receiving touchdowns. He obviously still has some gas
left in the tank, but the Bengals’ choice to let him go (if that’s what they finally decide) would be based primarily on
finances. The most important date to mark on your calendar in regards to Mixon’s future in Cincinnati is March 18.
Mixon’s $3 million roster bonus for the following season becomes completely guaranteed on that date. Therefore, it
is possible that the Bengals will sever connections with the back before then. When talking about Josh Mixon’s future
at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin was mainly evasive
about the back’s position in Cincinnati’s offense the following season, despite being very complimentary of what
Mixon brings to the table.
“I can tell you his role this past year was good,” Tobin stated. “For us, he had an excellent season. He had over 1,000
yards and ten touchdowns, and he was a key player for us, so I was pleased of him. I will not be making any
predictions about anyone’s future role from this platform.
“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,” he stated. It isn’t exclusive to any one person. Extremely happy with Joe’s season. We
didn’t quite make it over the hump, but he put us in a position where we had a shot and he did a lot to assist us get
there.”
We won’t have to wait long to learn the Bengals’ exact plans for Mixon, since that March 18 deadline is getting closer
every day. In the near future, Mixon might be searching for a new NFL home if Berry’s sources are accurate.
