The NFL offseason can be a very cruel place for players and teams alike. Every offseason, teams have to make difficult decisions when it comes to keeping or parting ways with certain players. It can be heartbreaking to see a fan-favorite player leave, but it's the unfortunate reality of the game, even for a team like the Cincinnati Bengals.
The No. 1 culprit behind teams moving on from key players is undoubtedly the salary cap. Since its introduction in 1994, the salary cap has prevented teams from buying their way to a championship. While that's definitely good for the competitive balance of the league, it forces teams to make hard choices all the time. This is especially true this offseason, as nearly half the league is currently over the cap.
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With that in mind, it may come as a surprise that the Bengals are not among the teams in the red. Despite a Super Bowl appearance last season and an AFC Championship Game appearance this season, Cincinnati still has plenty of cap room. However, there are a couple of catches with that amount of cap space.
The Bengals have been able to conserve cap space thanks to many key players, such as Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase, still being on their rookie deals. Now, though, Burrow and Higgins are eligible for extensions, and Chase will be next year. Although the Bengals may have a lot of cap space now, they have to be careful to ensure they can pay their stars.
As such, Cincinnati may have to make some difficult cuts to save up for these extensions. A few key players may be on the chopping block, but one stands above them all as the most surprising.
Bengals surprise roster cut: RB Joe Mixon
At first glance, cutting Mixon may seem like a foolish mistake. The running back has been a key part of the Bengals' offense for years, even before Burrow and others arrived. Look just a bit deeper, though, and it all starts to make sense.
First off, Cincinnati can create a ton of cap space by cutting Mixon. If the Bengals cut him before June 1, they will save roughly $7.3 million in cap space, which will be invaluable in their goal of extending their younger players. If they cut him after June 1, that number goes up to over $10 million, with only $2.75 million in dead cap. From a financial standpoint, moving on from Mixon makes a ton of sense.
If the #Bengals choose to cut Joe Mixon before June 1, there’s $7.2 million of cap space to be freed up (early release), $10 million + if after June 1. @WCPO
— Marshall Kramsky (@marshallkramsky) February 3, 2023
Secondly, Mixon's overall production took a noticeable dip in 2022. He only rushed for 814 yards and seven touchdowns, well below his 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns the year before. He did have a slightly better season as a receiver, but not enough to make up for his decline rushing. Granted, he did miss three games with injury, but even if he played, he likely wouldn't match his 2021 production.
Thirdly, running backs are the most expendable position in the NFL. Teams have often hesitated to pay their running backs, and with contracts like those of Ezekiel Elliott and Alvin Kamara becoming albatrosses, it's hard to blame them. In fact, Mixon got fewer snaps than Samaje Perine (who's also a free agent but that's beside the point) during the postseason, so he was already falling out of the offense.
Finally, and most importantly, there's the situation regarding Mixon's recent arrest warrant. Last week, officials put out a warrant for Mixon for allegedly pointing a gun at a woman in downtown Cincinnati. The charges were dropped soon after, but the cloud of the entire situation still remains. Not to mention, Mixon faced legal troubles during his college days, so this may be the breaking point.
With everything in mind, it's very likely that Mixon has played his last game in a Bengals uniform.
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