The big news out of the AFC North yesterday was that Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon restructured his contract to stay with Cincinnati that included a significant pay cut over this season and his next to stay with the team.
In terms of money, the numbers are significant. Mixon took a $4.39 million pay cut this season and a $4.67 million pay cut next season. Mixon was due $10.1 million this season with a $12.79 cap hit. Mixon made a professional decision and decided playing for one of the best teams in the AFC was better than perhaps making more money elsewhere.
This whole situation illuminates the discussion going on this offseason about the devaluing of running backs in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has already talked about this in the current offseason and now he watches it happen in his neighborhood.
Even Harris, who is a former first-round pick, cannot feel confident about his long-term future with the Steelers when you have Jaylen Warren, and undrafted free agent playing so well behind you. No one is saying Harris is going anywhere but the Mixon situation is a perfect example of the way the culture of the NFL has shifted and how one elite running back has responded to it.
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