'A Great Player!' DeMeco Ryans Praises New Texans Running Back Joe Mixon

Joe Mixon heads to the Houston Texans as the new lead running back, and DeMeco Ryans isn't worried at all about a drop-off in play.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) breaks away on a deep run in the first quarter of the / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

DeMeco Ryans knows running backs lost their burst with age, but he remains a believer in new Houston Texans' star Joe Mixon.

"I'm not thinking about a drop-off," Ryans told reporters at the annual owners meetings in Orlando, Fla., Monday morning. "I'm thinking about the positives and the things that [Mixon has] done in his career. He's been consistent throughout his entire career -- a guy who can move the chains for you, a guy who can open up the passing game with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He just opens up the things that we can do offensively."

Mixon, a four-time 1,000-yard rusher, joins Houston as the hopeful missing link on offense. Even behind a promising first season with C.J. Stroud at the helm, the run game was missing a burst with the combination of Devin Singletary and Dameon Pierce.

That's where Mixon, who will turn 28 this offseason, fits in. He's coming off another productive season with the Cincinnati Bengals and is expected to hit the 1,000-yard marker again at NRG Stadium this fall. It's partially why the Texans handed him a new three-year, $27 million extension after trading for him earlier this month.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) carries the ball in the first quarter during a Week / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Even though Mixon averaged 4.0 yards per attempt last season, he also scored 12 touchdowns, including three as a receiver. Ryans isn't worried about what type of numbers Mixon will put up, but rather what he'll provide as a do-it-all playmaker when his number is called.

"Joe was a guy who's done it for a long time, and he's been very consistent," said Ryans.

"We're adding a great player to our team. And we knew we had to fix the contract. That was the same situation there in Cincinnati. When you add a great player to your team, he deserves what he got."

The Texans believe Mixon still has some tread left on the tires. They have to imagine he's still in line to make a Pro Bowl or two after trading a 2024 seventh-round pick to acquire him before he was released at the start of free agency.

It can't be worse than last season, right? Houston finished 22nd overall in rushing and was one of 11 teams to average less than 100 yards per game. Outside of Singletary, who inked a three-year deal with the New York Giants, Texans running backs combined for 3.1 yards per attempt and three rushing touchdowns.

A former 2017 second-round pick out of Oklahoma, Mixon has proven to be one of the league's more consistent players when healthy. He's averaged at least five touchdowns a year in seasons where he's played 14 games or more. He also has hauled in 30 passes each year, minus the 2020 season where he was limited to six games.

"We're happy to get Joe," said Ryans. "We hate to lose Motor [Singletary], but I feel like Joe will help us out a lot."