Bengals “visited with” Joe Mixon about extension

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At the end of the 2019 season, Bengals running back Joe Mixon said that “right now is definitely the time to start getting into” contract extension talks.

It seems that the Bengals agree with that take. Mixon is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said this week that the team has engaged the running back in conversations about his deal.

“Joe’s obviously a guy that’s shown a lot of ability,” Tobin said to Lance McAlister of 700 WLW. “He’s in a year that he can be extended, and he is a guy that we visited with. We’ll go through those discussions and see if there is a fit or a match for a long-term contract with him, obviously a guy we value quite a bit. The great thing about Joe is he goes about it the right way . . . He’s the type of guy you want to lock up to a long-term deal. We’ll see if we can find the commonality to get that done over time here.”

Mixon has posted 2,931 yards and 17 touchdowns on 693 carries while also catching 108 passes over his first three seasons.

12 responses to “Bengals “visited with” Joe Mixon about extension

  1. If he’s smart he’ll take whatever deal they offer him, Melvin Gordon and Le’Veon Bell are proof positive that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side if you as an RB try you luck on the open market in today’s NFL.

  2. Knowing the Bengals they’ll give him a ridiculously low offer then complain to the media they tried to sign him but he was too greedy. The truth is the Bengals would pay everyone the league minimum and pocket the rest of the money if they could.

  3. In the age of teams resisting at every corner to pay good running backs, it’s refreshing to read a story about a team actually acknowledging the value of a very good running back. Signing Mixon to an extension after what he did the last couple of seasons Is warranted. Grinding through with production while the teams offensive line that was inferior and also adjusting to a new coaching staff. He showed toughness and leadership, he also is still very Young with a lot of tread left.

    I have a theory on teams thought process on rbs. Teams usually draft rbs with the idea that they will use them and by the time their rookie deal is up they will most likely be washed up. Also when you draft running backs with 7-800 touches through college, it puts themselves in a tough situation Come contract time if the player excels. They are reluctant to pay them because they know the drop off is coming. Mixon is different, he has less than 400 touches and was 21 when he was drafted so extending him a contract is much more palatable.

    Every team is different but if you’re gonna be a run first team, I would much rather look for a low usage with high upside guy you can make a staple in your offense for 7-8 years than a guy with a ton of mileage that will be getting replaced every 4 years.

  4. I can see a 2+1 deal coming, for $16 million and $8 million guaranteed.

  5. One of best teams in NFL at extending (and taking care of) their own talent. I see both sides here, dude needs paid and Bengals need Mixon. That said, man is it tough to swallow a ton of cap space for a second rb contract. 2 years max if possible and Bengals have to realize they have all the leverage, he cannot hold out w new CBA in place.

  6. $6m-$8m is the appropriate price range for a back like Joe Mixon. 3yr-$24m with $16m guaranteed seems fair. Pay the guaranteed money in the first 2 years, so if his play declines or he gets injured, the team isn’t forced to keep him that 3rd year. Draft a RB next year early to be an insurance policy.

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