Should the Bengals move on from Joe Mixon?

Mar 26, 2023 - 2:00 PM

Joe Mixon is still a very talented runner with the ball in his hands. The question for many, though, is if his less-than-stellar pass blocking is holding the offense back.

That—combined with his age, salary, and arguably some off-the-field controversy—has convinced some fans that it’s time to move on and cut the running back.

Watch Joe Goodberry explain why Mixon’s pass blocking is an issue and then clarify how the extra cap space would help the team long term:

Others argue that Mixon’s production will not be easily replaced. And, despite missing three games and starting slowly, he ended up with similar running stats to the years before. In other words, for a contender like the Cincinnati Bengals, this is no time to risk leaving the backfield without a proven running back.

So what is the advantage of cutting him? Salary cap space (about $10 million if he is designated as a post-June cut). That means the front office could use more of the cap this year for a Joe Burrow or Tee Higgins extension and have extra room in future years.

But there’s also the matter of just straight cash.

Needless to say, the idea of releasing a fan favorite has divided Bengals Twitter. Especially after the news that Cincinnati is looking into signing Ezekiel Elliott, a better pass blocker than Mixon.

So where do you stand?