The Seattle Seahawks are diving into the veteran free agent market as ESPN reported on Oct. 5, citing sources, that the team is planning to sign running back Joe Mixon to their practice squad as long as he passes his physical.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that the team was working out Mixon as the veteran goes through the process of this becoming official.
Jadarian Price will miss at least three more games after he was placed on injured reserve with a chest injury. Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet is also nearing a return from the ACL tear he suffered in last season’s playoffs. However, this reported move involving Joe Mixon might signal that Seattle might not be looking to rush Charbonnet back.
With the Seahawks’ running back room adding more depth, Seattle Sports’ Dave Wyman questions the decision to sign Mixon.
“I don’t want to say it’s a head-scratcher because I always give [Seahawks general manager John Schneider] the benefit of the doubt, but I didn’t see the need to bring in Joe Mixon,” Wyman said in an Oct. 5 video from Seattle Sports. “But yeah, he ran for 1,000 yards the last two seasons and 11 touchdowns his last season.”
Joe Mixon Might Give Seahawks RBs Time to Recover
Meanwhile, Bob Stelton of Seattle Sports noted that the reported Mixon signing means a player like Price has an injury that could keep him out longer, or perhaps Charbonnet might not be ready as soon as the Seahawks might have hoped.
“He’s certainly been productive,” Stelton said in the same segment. “Where he’s at physically, they must feel good about it. We’ll see what it means to that running back room, which appears to be crowded. If guys are on schedule now, maybe guys get delayed.
“Maybe Price is out longer than we anticipate, or maybe Charbonnet is not ready right away. But assuming everybody’s healthy, that becomes a crowded room and decisions need to be made. That’ll be interesting to see what they do there. Obviously, they felt it was necessary.”
Mark Schlereth Applauds Seattle for Joe Mixon Move
Meanwhile, unlike Wyman, who has second thoughts about Mixon, NFL analyst Mark Schlereth is a major fan of this move for the Seahawks.
“That dude’s a full-grown man now,” Schlereth said during an Oct. 5 appearance on Seattle Sports. “I’m telling you, if healthy, Joe Mixon can play. He’s a dude that does everything well, like a legit three-down back. He’ll run it, he’ll pass protect, he can catch it out of the backfield. I love Joe Mixon. I think he’s a great player. Obviously, he missed all of last year with a foot injury.
“But he is a full-grown player. He’s a man at the running back position. That’s one of those spots where you come, you bring him in, you put him on the practice squad, you elevate him. If he’s healthy, he’ll be ready to go, and he provides some pop. He provides some toughness. He provides some of those nasty yards, and that, to me, is a huge signing for Seattle.”
Mixon missed the 2025 season due to a severe foot injury, but in the 2024 season, the veteran recorded 245 carries for 1,016 yards and scored 12 touchdowns in 14 games for the Houston Texans, per StatMuse.
Seattle is hoping that, with a year off and a healthy Mixon, they can get anything close to the 2024 version of the running back.
Seahawks Receive Candid Take on Joe Mixon News