Zack Moss was meant to be the steadying force in Cincinnati’s backfield, a seasoned player who could help ease the transition from Joe Mixon while supporting a Bengals team that expected to stay in the AFC playoff race.
However, the 2024 season took an unexpected turn with a serious neck injury, a restructured contract, and ultimately, a release that left the 27-year-old searching for a way back onto an NFL roster. Now, as teams seek additional depth in their backfields late in the season, Moss is quietly working behind the scenes to revive a career that once held so much promise.
A Veteran Back Fighting for One More Shot
Moss’s fall from Cincinnati’s RB1 to unemployed in just eight months was sudden, but the story behind it is even more jarring. Moss fractured his C6 vertebra in three places during the 2024 season, an injury he didn’t learn the full extent of until November, two days before a matchup with the Raiders. The injury forced him into a neck brace for two months and wiped out any chance of building on his early-season production.
His release in July 2025 came after the Bengals restructured his contract, slashing his salary from $3.5 million to $1.7 million. The move cost Cincinnati nearly $1.9 million in dead cap, but hinted that the organization didn’t believe Moss would return to form quickly enough to help them. With Chase Brown rising and the depth chart shifting toward younger options like Tahj Brooks, Kendall Milton, and Samaje Perine, Moss became the odd man out.
Still, Moss wasn’t ready to walk away. “I wanted to be done, I could have stayed at home and not left my wife and two kids by herself,” Moss told The Athletic. “My intention is to be here, to do what I have to do rehab-wise and then go from there… I don’t have any expectations. I’m just going to allow my body to tell me when it is ready.”
Across 61 games with the Bills, Colts, and Bengals, Moss has totaled 3,028 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns, including a standout 2023 season in Indianapolis when he rushed for 794 yards in relief of Jonathan Taylor. Analysts believe he could still be a valuable option for teams needing a physical, downhill runner.
One recent prediction even floated his fit with Washington, arguing his “bruising style” could complement Jayden Daniels’ dual-threat skill set if the Commanders wanted a low-cost, high-floor addition.
Denver has also been mentioned as a logical landing spot for Moss as they begin exploring running back help during their bye week. With J.K. Dobbins out for the season, some believe Moss “might be in line” for consideration as a bigger-bodied veteran who could stabilize the rotation behind RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin.
For now, Moss is focused on his rehab, showing no signs of giving up, even though there are no guarantees. His profile on NFL.com still lists him as active, and insiders in the league indicate that teams are closely monitoring his recovery.
Whether he ends up being signed late in the season, picked up in the offseason, or becomes a remarkable comeback story, the next chapter of his journey relies on one thing Moss has come to trust above all else: Time.
