Free agent RB Joe Mixon.
What’s with all the flashing red lights?
That’s what Joe saw in his mind after reading Eva Geitheim’s piece in SI.com where she picked the Bucs as a team that should be in the running for free agent running back Joe Mixon, who was cut by Houston after the Texans acquired David Montgomery in a trade with the Lions last week.
The Bucs, Geitheim types, should be one of two teams all over Mixon’s agent when legal tampering begins tomorrow.
RB Joe Mixon
Best fit: Steelers, Buccaneers
Running back Joe Mixon was officially released by the Texans after they acquired David Montgomery via trade earlier this week. Mixon missed the entirety of the 2025 season with a mysterious foot injury and will look to bounce back with a new team. Before his injury, the two-time Pro Bowler had consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Joe vividly remembers when an NFL general manager at the combine a decade ago told Joe of how overwhelming the data is that running backs pushing 30 enter the danger zone of their careers. The physical toll just adds up.
(Yeah, yeah, Adrian Peterson. If only every running back were Adrian Peterson, who was an extreme outlier.)
The moves the Texans made last week seem to back up the intel Joe was told about years ago. Mixon, who will be 30 in July, missed all of the 2025 season with a foot injury of some sort.
Nothing like paying high dollar for a free agent running back with a bum wheel.
That’s why Joe sees all the flashing red lights with Mixon. And he’s had his fair share of carries through the years. Who knows if there’s much tread left on those tires?
At the combine last month, Joe asked Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht on the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” if running back was a need. Licht, in a wonderfully sarcastic tone, replied, “Well, I’m sure not going into training camp with just two running backs.”
Joe is spooked by Bucky Irving. Great, great rookie season. But as always, defensive coordinators are paid, too. Even when Bucky was healthy (he wasn’t much), he was not the Bucs’ best back last year.
So yeah, Joe thinks the Bucs adding to the running back room would be wise. And from Licht’s own words, it seems we can bank on some new faces in that room.
And Joe doubts one of those fresh faces will be Mixon.