Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon has decided to accept a pay reduction in order to stick with the team for the upcoming season.

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The redrafted contract between Mixon and the Bengals has been agreed upon, containing a basic salary of just under $6 million. According to a league source who spoke with ProFootballTalk, the contract also has incentives that could increase his earnings up to $8 million.

Joe Mixon decided to renegotiate his deal despite having been expected to earn almost $9 million in non-guaranteed income for the following season. Mixon did this in an effort to avoid finding himself in the same predicament as free agents Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott, who were both released from their hefty contracts earlier in the offseason and are now without a team.

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The 27-year-old was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Mixon has demonstrated his abilities as a running back for the Bengals throughout his career. He carried the ball 210 times, gaining 814 rushing yards, and seven touchdowns in the previous season.

Prior to renegotiating his contract, Joe Mixon’s status for the 2023 season was uncertain due to the non-guaranteed nature of his previous deal. However, Mixon’s future with the Bengals looks certain after the recently reached agreement for at least another year. The team’s potent attack, which has excellent players like quarterback Joe Burrow and wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, will continue to depend on him as a crucial piece. The Bengals’ recent success has been largely attributed to this offensive unit, which has guided them to back-to-back AFC championship games and guaranteed them a position in the Super Bowl after the 2021 season.

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Mixon’s agent Peter Schaffer after the deal said, “Joe just agreed to a restructuring of his deal. His goal is to win a Super Bowl and play his career in Cincinnati and this is the best way to accomplish these goals.”