After back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans, Joe Mixon’s absence in 2025 was a strange one. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a mysterious foot injury last summer, and seemingly never came close to suiting up for the Texans again.
But with such an impressive production history and given that he only turns 30 this July, there’s a solid chance we’ve not seen the last of Mixon in the NFL. Provided he returns to health, which teams should be looking to make a move for the free agent ahead of training camp?
5 Potential Landing Spots for Free Agent RB Joe Mixon
At this stage of the year, there aren’t typically many starting running back vacancies across the NFL, but there are some intriguing potential team fits for Mixon. Naturally, I’m assuming good health for the veteran running back, as no team will take him unless he is over the injury that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season.
If he’s good to go, though, here are five teams that could make sense.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a top-10 starting running back in Josh Jacobs, but there are multiple reasons for the team to invest in more talent at the position. Jacobs is still awaiting the outcome of legal proceedings related to allegations of domestic abuse. Even if Jacobs avoids legal punishment, he could still face a multiple-game suspension from the NFL.
The Packers’ offense was far less threatening without Jacobs late last season, when the player was struggling to play through a knee injury. If Jacobs were to miss time, it would currently be a huge blow for the Packers, who face an ever-intensifying battle in the NFC North.
Mixon would provide phenomenal insurance against any Jacobs suspension while improving the Packers’ offense as a rotational piece alongside the former Las Vegas Raider.
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Minnesota Vikings
Remaining in the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings could massively upgrade their running-back room with a do-it-all back like Mixon. Kevin O’Connell’s offense currently relies on a combination of the aging Aaron Jones Sr. and former San Francisco 49ers backup Jordan Mason.
While Jones remains a reliable pass catcher and a valuable leader in the locker room, his rushing efficiency has dropped in three consecutive seasons. Mason, meanwhile, is a capable power back who can handle short-yardage and goal-line situations, but is unlikely to elevate the Vikings in their push to climb the division.
Mixon offers the pass-catching prowess that Jones does and is a far more threatening option on the ground than both of the Vikings’ current options. A healthy Mixon would take over as the team’s RB1 and relegate his new teammates to support roles.
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Seattle Seahawks
Elsewhere in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks could be in the Mixon conversation should he become a realistic option for teams. The reigning Super Bowl champions, who had the 12th-ranked offense in the league last season, according to PFN’s Offense Impact Metric, lost Kenneth Walker III in free agency and replaced him with Notre Dame product Jadarian Price in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.
But the team’s remaining starter, Zach Charbonnet, is set to miss significant time this season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Seattle added former Packer Emanuel Wilson in free agency, a player I expect to get a lot more work than many are predicting, at least until Charbonnet returns to action.
Price was a backup in college, albeit to third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love, and the expectation that he’ll immediately take on a workhorse role in the NFL baffles me. If the Seahawks don’t like what they see from Wilson, Mixon could be a short-term option to rotate with Price over the first half of the year.
Indianapolis Colts
Over in the AFC, there are no obvious starting roles available, but two high-profile backup roles stand out. The Indianapolis Colts are sweating on the health of Daniel Jones and any potential lingering impact of the Achilles injury he suffered last season. Arguably, though, the team’s fortunes rest far heavier on the health of their starting running back.
Jonathan Taylor was frightening over the first 10 games of last season. Whether the team’s subsequent fall-off was due to Jones’ injury or to the enormous jump in the standard of opposition they faced is up for debate. What’s not up for debate, though, is that the team can’t afford to lose Taylor if it’s to be a contender in 2026.
Taylor’s 369 touches in 2025 were the second-most of his career. After touching the ball 372 times in 2021, he missed six games through injury the following year. While injuries are impossible to predict, good planning often goes a long way, and Mixon’s presence on the depth chart would help fans sleep at night.
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Buffalo Bills
Like the Colts, the Buffalo Bills’ offense runs primarily through their running back. While Josh Allen remains the star of the team, Cook’s touches shot up from 239 in 2024 to 342 in 2025.
Meanwhile, the team’s primary backup, Ray Davis, saw his opportunities drop from 130 to 68 and was used far more as a kick returner, averaging 30.4 yards per return. Davis has impressed at times when given the opportunity, but he’s trending in the opposite direction of a player who has the faith of his coaches.
While Davis would still see some opportunities if Cook went down, Mixon would be an outstanding option behind the starter, offering a seamless replacement. Roster depth is essential to going all the way in the NFL, and the Bills are desperate to win it all in the near future.
