Why Cincinnati Bengals Are Signing Zack Moss and Releasing Joe Mixon
CINCINNATI — The Bengals are signing veteran running back Zack Moss to a two-year, $8 million contract. They came to terms on Monday night and quickly moved on from Joe Mixon minutes later.
This isn't a surprise to many, but some are wondering why the Bengals would move on from a former Pro Bowler and fan favorite?
The Bengals wanted to get more explosive in the run game. They were hoping to find a proven pass blocker that would give them an opportunity to generate longer runs.
Moss fits that description. He had 11 runs of 20 or more yards last season. Mixon had five 20+ yard runs, despite having 74 more rushing attempts. Moss is only 26-years-old and has 484 career carries. There's plenty of tread left on his tires. A Chase Brown-Moss combo in the Bengals' backfield makes a ton of sense.
The Bengals entered free agency thinking they could get younger, cheaper and better at running back.
After re-signing Trayveon Williams, they've secured a trio of backs that will have a lower cap hit than Mixon was set to have for the 2024 season ($8.9 million).
Moss forced more miss tackles, was a better pass blocker and finished much higher in yards above expectation (5th) than Mixon (27th).
They're more explosive, but the pass blocking element cannot be overstated. Mixon was a quality player for a long time, but it was time for the Bengals to move on from the former Pro Bowler.
Cincinnati made the right decision on Monday night.
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