Joe Mixon eyes career year after contract extension
The long-awaited extension is over for Joe Mixon. Contract talks loomed over the Bengals this offseason, but the star running back put putting pen to paper earlier this month.
He signed a four-year, $48 million extension, which makes him the highest-paid running back in Bengals history and the sixth highest-paid running back in the NFL.
His wallet might be thicker, but the 24-year-old isn't satisfied.
"I want to be the best me and the best guy on the field day in and day out," Mixon said. "Just basically have to shoot for the goals that I haven’t achieved yet – Pro Bowl (and) being MVP. Doing those high-level type things and reaping those rewards. I work hard for it. Everybody else is getting paid also to do things to defend me or block me or whatever the case may be, but I definitely feel like I’m that type of caliber player and I’m definitely gonna produce like it."
Mixon has posted back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons. He led the AFC in rushing yards in 2018. He's tied with Ezekiel Elliott for the most runs of 15 or more yards since 2018 with 37. Nick Chubb (35) and Lamar Jackson (34) follow behind Mixon and Elliott.
Mixon and Elliott are the only running backs with 230 carries and 30 receptions in each of the past two seasons.
Mixon has the ability to be an elite pass catching running back, but he's been underutilized in his first three seasons. He has 108 catches for 870 yards, but he's capable of having an even bigger role. That's one way the Bengals offense could improve in 2020.
Strength and explosiveness are two of his best attributes. Since 2018, Mixon is the only running back with 500+ carries and zero fumbles according to Pro Football Focus. Nearly 57 percent of his rushing yards (645) came after contact last season.
Despite posting impressive numbers, Mixon has never been a Pro Bowler. He was selected as an alternate in 2018 (third alternate) and 2019 (fifth alternate).
After a slow start, he finished the 2019 season strong, posting 817 of his 1137 rushing yards in the final eight games.
Mixon carries all the momentum from last season’s finish and his new contract, so could this be the year he's selected to his first Pro Bowl?
He's expected to be the Bengals MVP this season.
"This offense is going to be special," Mixon said. "It has a lot of potential to do a lot of special things. We potentially could have a 1,000-yard rusher, three 1,000-yard receivers.
"We just have to go ahead and go out there and put it together. What Zac (Taylor) is building and Brian (Callahan) and upstairs are building [front office] here for the offense, it’s going to be very, very explosive and I look forward to it."
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