Texans quickly sign trade acquisition to lucrative contract extension

Not long after his arrival via trade, Joe Mixon has a new deal in place. The veteran running back has agreed to a three-year, $27M extension including $13M guaranteed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Mixon had one year remaining on his Bengals contract and was due $5.75M with a cap hit of $6.1M. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes this agreement is a three-year accord that will take the place of his previous deal. It has a cashflow of $10M in 2024 along with a base value of $25.5M, he adds. The remaining $1.5M will comprise incentives.

Once again facing an uncertain Bengals future, Mixon was traded to the Texans after it appeared he was bound to be released. Houston needed a new lead back with Devin Singletary joining the Giants, while Cincinnati moved on from the 27-year-old by signing Zack Moss. Rather than facing 2024 as a contract year, Mixon will now have some security with his new team.

The running back position has seen plenty of multiyear deals handed out early in free agency, despite the plethora of options at the position leading to the expectation of a buyer’s market. Mixon has joined the list of veterans receiving a (relatively) long-term commitment despite his age and usage. The one-time Pro Bowler has received at least 210 carries in a season five times over the course of his career.

Despite questions about his sustainability as an every-down back, Mixon will clearly lead the depth chart in Houston given the terms of this deal. The Texans went on an impressive run to the divisional round of the playoffs thanks in large part to the play of quarterback C.J. Stroud and their passing game, but they struggled on the ground. The team ranked 22nd in the league in rushing, making RB a priority (especially in the event Singletary departed).

Mixon will partner with Dameon Pierce in Houston’s backfield for at least 2024 with the potential for a long-term arrangement. Pierce is on his rookie contract for two more years and, depending on the guarantee structure of Mixon’s pact, he likely will remain in place at least that long. It will be interesting to see how he fares on a new team for the first time in his career with a multiyear pact in hand.