Excitement could not be much higher around the Cincinnati Bengals right now. The team is fresh off trading for a superstar defensive lineman who, in theory, will help solve many of the issues that the team faced during the 2025 season.
Following a disappointing 2025 season, in which Cincinnati won their fewest games since Joe Burrow’s rookie season, excitement around the team was low, particularly as All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson departed the team and joined the division rival Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
However, after acquiring Dexter Lawrence, the team appears poised to once again enter a championship window for the first time since 2022. Additionally, one member of that 2022 Bengals team that reached the AFC Championship remains a free agent, and a reunion has not yet been ruled out.
Former Cincinnati Bengals Running Back Joe Mixon Remains a Free Agent
Mixon, who spent seven seasons with the Bengals, which included four 1,000-yard rushing seasons and one Pro Bowl, remains a free agent after being a member of the Houston Texans the past two seasons.
Mixon was released after missing the entire 2025 season with a foot injury. He was then traded from the Bengals to the Texans prior to the 2024 season, as Mixon had previously been expected to be released by Cincinnati.
During the past two seasons, Mixon ended up playing only 14 games for the Texans. He did reach 1,016 rushing yards during the 2024 season as he was selected to his second career Pro Bowl. Additionally, he totaled over 100 rushing yards in seven of his first nine games with Houston, before injuries derailed his career.
Possible Reunion Between Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Mixon
During Mixon’s time in Cincinnati, head coach Zac Taylor praised the player. During the 2023 offseason, Taylor said, “I like Joe Mixon as our starting running back. We get him the ball a lot of different ways, just because, you know, Samaje (Perine) played more on third down than [Mixon] did, didn’t mean that his production wasn’t wavered. We’re still going to throw him the football and hand him the football, and now you have a chance to see where these three other guys are going to get more opportunities.”
There has been no reported interest from NFL teams in signing Mixon, but with the Bengals the familiarity is already there. Mixon was an integral part of the Bengals during their 2021 and 2022 playoff runs, and with the team ready for contention he could once again prove to be a key factor if he is healthy and a reunion occurs.
Mixon would likely command the veteran minimum due to the question marks surrounding his foot injury. Since Mixon’s departure, Chase Brown has taken hold of the starting running back position in Cincinnati, but a tandem between the two at a low price could prove enticing for the Bengals.
Aside from health, sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks may put a dent in those plans as he is poised to take on a larger role in his second season.
Former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl Player Remains an NFL Free Agent