Bengals to release RB Joe Mixon

More news coming out of Cincy on Day 1 of the legal tampering period…

The Cincinnati Bengals made headlines Monday evening, news broke that they were releasing veteran running back Joe Mixon, Adam Schefter reports. Mixon has been with the Bengals for the past seven seasons since being drafted in the second round (48th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft. The team will save just over $6 million against the 2024 salary cap with the move.

In his place, at least for. now, they’ve signed former Colts and Bills running back Zack Moss to a two-year, $8 million contract. Moss had a significant opportunity in the 2023 season playing behind All-Pro Jonathan Taylor, who missed the first four games of the season on the Reserve/PUP list. In a starting role amidst Taylor’s absence, Moss went on a four-game streak where he was on a 17-game pace for just under 2,200 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns.

Moss will now play alongside second-year running back Chase Brown, who had a successful season in his own right, averaging 5.8 yards per touch (compared to Mixon’s 4.6), showcasing his explosive play-making ability and 4.43 speed in a backup role.

Mixon’s release wasn’t the only surprising headline for the Bengals on Monday — the other piece of news was that star wideout Tee Higgins had requested a trade. The request comes after the team applied the franchise tag ahead of the deadline, with Higgins apparently unhappy that the team hadn’t been working toward a long-term deal.