The Kansas City Chiefs may soon be gifted with a perfect low-risk, likely low-cost free agent option from the Houston Texans.
Per KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson, "Texans are expected to explore high-end free agent running back market, per NFL sources. Nick Caserio discloses Joe Mixon's offseason surgery. Texans are expected to ultimately part ways with Mixon, per league sources, and release him from his three-year, $27 million contract."
Joe Mixon's injury status is seemingly up in the air. However, reading between the lines, he sounds like someone who could become available at a position the Chiefs will likely need to replace, at least, Isaiah Pacheco.
Texans GM Nick Caserio certainly didn't clear much up at all on Wednesday ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Caserio's comments read like someone who can't quite say a breakup is imminent until honest attempts to trade Mixon have been made.
“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 Could Be Chiefs' Next Big Low-Cost Longshot
Of course, there's no trade to be made. Mixon just missed the entire 2025 season and would cost any team $8.5 million on his current contract. Mixon is almost certainly about to be released, and when that happens, Kansas City could sign him to a cheap deal to join their platoon.
With radically different circumstances than Mixon, the Chiefs welcomed Kareem Hunt back into the fold in 2024 after his controversial release from Kansas City in November 2018. Hunt was a Pacheco injury replacement himself, and could be on his way back if he's willing to accept a similar one-year deal to what he took ahead of the 2025 season.
Mixon could come in on a deal costing around $7 million. His arrival could allow the Chiefs to pick spots to feature Brashard Smith and could even result in a new RB1 if Mixon could come anywhere close to his 2024 form in Houston. GM Brett Veach has talked about wanting an explosive run game, and Mixon fits the "explosive" label.
Asking for the Cincinnati Bengals version of Mixon is probably too much of an ask after all of his lower extremity issues. Asking for a version that's either complementing another vet and a young buck, or two young bucks, should Kansas City draft Notre Dame Fighting Irish RB Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick isn't requiring that.
When you factor in the Boomer Sooner connection to fellow Oklahoma alum and new RB coach, DeMarco Murray, Mixon makes more and more sense this offseason.