LaDainian Tomlinson evaluates Joe Mixon's fit with Texans: “They will kill people on the perimeter”
Joe Mixon was the running back for the Cincinnati Bengals for the past seven seasons. The Bengals took Mixon in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he's been a consistent quality starter throughout his career.
This off-season, Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round selection. The next day, he signed a three-year, $27 million contract extension with the team.
Houston became a team on the rise last season after winning the AFC South and being led by rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud.
With the addition of Mixon, Hall of Fame running back LaDanian Tomlinson thinks Mixon will excel in Houston's system. With the Texans likely to play teams that are playing looser in the box with their plethora of pass-catching options, Tomlinson thinks Mixon will have success running in the zones.
"There are some guys that are just not good at running zone. And I don't think this is the case with Joe Mixon. Because at Oklahoma he ran zone. He was really good at it. But I think the Texans in that system, much like Kyle Shanahan's offense, it's much easier to read zone block, it's the way they teach it. It's much easier."
Tomlinson continued:
"So I think Joe Mixon will excel in that offense, especially when he's going to be playing against six-man box. They're not gonna pack the box. They're gonna be trying to stuff the pass game with CJ Stroud. Joe Mixon will have light boxes. They will kill people on the perimeter with him."
In seven seasons, Mixon has 6,412 rushing yards, 49 touchdowns, and 2,139 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Houston Texans not only added Joe Mixon but also Stefon Diggs this off-season to their offense
Joe Mixon is just one weapon that the Houston Texans added this off-season. On April 3, the Houston Texans acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Diggs will be Stroud's newest target in an already-loaded Texans offense. Diggs has made four straight Pro Bowls from 2020-2023 and has been named an All-Pro twice in that span.
While adding Mixon and Diggs via trade, the Texans have also kept a few of their playmakers this off-season. The Texans agreed on deals with Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz, and Nico Collins.
The Texans are looked at by many as an AFC contender this season, and it's up to Stroud and the weapons to prove that they can be a top team in the AFC for years to come.