Three reasons RB Joe Mixon restructured contract with Bengals

The running back position has never been valued less and that was proven again on Friday when Bengals RB Joe Mixon agreed to restructure his contract. However, here are three reasons a pay cut could benefit Mixon.

Super Bowl aspirations
Cincinnati has been in contention for a Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons, making appearances in two AFC title games and Super Bowl LVI. So, why would Mixon want to leave one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now? He doesn’t.

“Joe just agreed to a restructuring of his deal. His goal is to win a Super Bowl and play his career in Cincinnati and this is the best way to accomplish these goals,” Mixon’s agent said, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

There have been many players who never won a Super Bowl, and most would likely tell you they would have taken less money if they knew they would have won one. Mixon is certainly doing his part to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Avoiding release
Mixon is coming off a down year in 2022 when he rushed for 814 yards and seven touchdowns after posting three 1,000-yard-plus rushing seasons in four years. He wasn’t playing up to his $12M-per-year average, so his pay cut may have saved his job for 2023 and beyond.

Workhorse running backs Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott — both 27 — were cut this offseason. Mixon, who turns 27 in July, might have seen a similar scenario play out for himself next offseason if he had another down year. It’s still a possibility the Bengals part ways with him, but now it’s less likely.

Spreading the wealth
Cincinnati has a few players who are about to cash in big, including QB Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Mixon’s new contract doesn’t solve all the team’s financial issues, but it helps.

The Bengals could still extend Burrow and Higgins as soon as this offseason and Chase will likely get his next offseason. Even if Mixon isn’t a part of the team in 2024, he will have played a role in setting up Cincinnati for future success.