Texans Urged to Make Dicey Contract Move With Critical Weapon

The Houston Texans struggled offensively last season, but one of the only constants for them on that side of the ball was running back Joe Mixon.

While Mixon wasn't incredibly efficient, averaging just 4.1 yards per carry, he was a bell cow for the Texans, rushing for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns while also logging 36 catches for 309 yards and a score en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.

It marked Mixon's first season in Houston, as the veteran came over in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals last spring.

Mixon has two years remaining on his deal and is slated to earn $7 million in base salary next season, but while the Texans won't have to worry about the 28-year-old hitting free agency until March 2027, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle feels that the Texans may want to consider signing him to an extension.

"That was huge for Houston, which hadn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Carlos Hyde in 2019," Alexander wrote of Mixon's 2024 campaign. "He likely would have run for more if he had not suffered an ankle injury from an illegal hip-drop tackle. He obviously still has a bit left in the tank and extending him a year could provide some good will."

Here's the problem, though: Mixon turns 29 in late July, which is getting up there in age for a halfback. Not only that, but he has a ton of mileage on his legs, having racked up significant touches for the Bengals for seven years before joining Houston.

With the Texans selecting Woody Marks in the NFL Draft, they may want to be extra cautious with Mixon. They would probably be better off seeing how things unfold in 2025 before deciding to make any rash contract decisions with the University of Oklahoma product.