Texans GM Nick Caserio’s Joe Mixon Update Fuels Lingering Worries

INDIANAPOLIS, IN–– The status on Houston Texans injured running back Joe Mixon still appears to be cloudy heading deeper into the NFL offseason.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio addressed the status of Mixon during this week's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, calling the situation still "day-to-day" while he continues to gather more information.

“Honestly, it’s day to day,” Caserio said. “Looking for conversations, trying to get a little bit more information. I think he had surgery here, this offseason in some capacity. So trying to get some follow-up to that."

“I’ve said this multiple times, I’m not trying to be evasive. It’s a moving target. So, we’ll kind of see what the availability is gonna be, what the prognosis is for the season and then ultimately try to figure out what makes sense for everybody involved.”

Joe Mixon's Status Remains Unclear Moving Forward

It's far from the most reassuring answer from Caserio given Mixon's injury situation. The Texans veteran running back has been dealing with a lingering foot injury dating back to last offseason that kept him out for the entirety of the team's summer training, and the entire 2025 season to follow.

Now, it seems as if there's not much clarity on what his status looks like moving forward, considering Caserio doesn't even appear 100% confident that his veteran running back even had offseason surgery.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

During Caserio's end-of-season media availability, he offered a bit more clarity on what the situation entailed regarding Mixon’s injury, crediting the injury as a "freak thing" and a "medical condition," but still didn’t give much of a timetable for when a return might be.

“He didn’t do anything off the field,” Caserio said. “It wasn’t like he was riding a snowmobile or anything like that. I would say it was more of a medical condition or situation that didn’t really improve as much as everyone would hope.”

“I’m not trying to evade the question, I think that’s the reality of the situation. He didn’t jump off a building, he wasn’t cliff diving or anything like that. He wasn’t doing anything irresponsible. It was a freak thing. Honestly I’ve never seen it, it’s just the condition.”

Mixon is currently signed to a contract for the 2026 season with the Texans, but when factoring in the team can save $8 million against the cap if they were to cut him this offseason, combined with the fact that the Caserio doesn't have much intel on his playing status moving forward, his reality of being a cap casualty this offseason appears extremely likely on paper.

If that's the case, the Texans could be expected to pursue an upgrade on the running back market this offseason in free agency, possibly with free agent Seattle Seahawks back Kenneth Walker III, who was linked to having potential interest from Houston earlier in the week, or another option who could be a cheaper acquisition.

Regardless, it doesn't appear that Mixon's status has shifted much since the last time Caserio spoke, which could be the writing on the wall for what could lie ahead for his future in Houston this offseason.