NFL Trade Rumors: Joe Mixon Dealt to Texans from Bengals amid Release Buzz in FA

The Cincinnati Bengals are trading veteran running back Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Texans will send the Bengals a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for Mixon, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported.

Shortly after the negotiating window opened in free agency Monday, the Bengals reportedly decided to move on from Mixon and immediately found his replacement in Zack Moss. His departure from Cincinnati didn't come as a surprise since he restructured his contract and took less money ahead of the 2023 season.

Mixon remained productive on the ground, albeit not enough to retain a spot on the Bengals roster. He ran for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 376 yards and three scores. It was the fifth time in six years he had 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage.

With the benefit of hindsight, one can't help but wonder whether Mixon would've preferred to get cut by Cincinnati last offseason.

The 27-year-old would've been a year younger and would've entered a free-agent market much less saturated with proven running backs. Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, Austin Ekeler, Tony Pollard and D'Andre Swift headlined the 2024 class, and by the time of his reported release from the Bengals, most of the big dominoes had already fallen.

The conditions weren't exactly favorable for Mixon, as he sought not only a healthy payday but also a situation in which he'd get to showcase his skills optimally.

The Texans should, however, be a comfortable landing spot for the 2021 Pro Bowler.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud far exceeded expectations as a rookie, and that had an accompanying effect for wide receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Mixon will slot nicely into the passing game.

Houston also lost leading rusher Devin Singletary, who reportedly agreed to a deal with the New York Giants, so Mixon's role in the rushing attack will be clear.

Assuming they didn't give up too much in the trade, this is a nice addition for the Texans.