Free Agent Pool Slims As Bengals Face Running Back Crossroads

Cincinnati has one glaring issue with its 2023 salary cap.

CINCINNATI — The Bengals are down to slim pickings in the 2023 free-agent running back market. 

Devin Singletary and Damien Harris came off the board on Monday night, leaving the likes of Leonard Fournette, Ezekiel Elliott, and Kareem Hunt left on the market.

Those are the only remaining RB-free agents who've held major starting roles in an offense. Cincinnati has to find a new plan at that position or their chances of winning next year's Super Bowl will take a massive hit.

The team is currently sixth in the league in salary cap allocation to running backs ($14.8 million), and Joe Mixon represents $12.76 million of that figure. He cannot take another carry with the Bengals at that mark.

No Super Bowl-winning team since 2009 has paid their leading rusher $3-plus million, let alone four times that and change.

Pacheco was 2022, seventh round rookie.

I will say it until I’m blue in the face.

Bringing Joe Mixon back at anything less than an 80% pay cut IS MALPRACTICE!!! Directly keeping them from greater Super Bowl chances…#Bengals pic.twitter.com/faRp8TyaYW

— Russ Heltman (@russheltman11) March 21, 2023

It doesn't help that Mixon posted one of his least efficient seasons in 2022—ranking 38th in yards per carry and at the bottom of the league in elusive rating. He's now toted the rock 1,314 times in six NFL seasons, and that tire tread keeps getting more and more worn down.

Cincinnati could be waiting to make Mixon a post-June 1 cut, which would add roughly $3 million more in cap space (over $10 million total), but they haven't indicated any move like that. It's not like they are restricted because of the calendar.

Dallas just made Elliott the same kind of cut as he searches for a new team.

It makes more sense for the player and franchise to conclude that as quickly as possible. The team can carry out its plan, while the player gets more time to find a home. Given the lack of options better than Mixon in a vacuum and the calendar trending toward April—it seems highly likely he will be back next season.

That's fine, but a pay cut is crucial—it historically has to happen. 

"Oh, but Russ, this team was just one drive away with a highly-paid Mixon from winning the Super Bowl against Los Angeles?" Sure, they got close, but two things connected to Mixon did them in.

A horrific offensive line that could've been beefed up with the money allocated to Mixon, and one carry to a backup running back in the most important moment in franchise history. Samaje Perine touched the ball with the season on the line, not the $12 million star back.

Capping the 2023 campaign off with a Super Bowl title will be extremely difficult if Joe Mixon continues making 5.63% of the salary cap.

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