The Houston Texans made a move to improve their backfield on Monday, trading for running back David Montgomery. The move to Houston gives Montgomery a chance to be RB1, an opportunity he wouldn't have had in Detroit.
This move likely spells the end for Joe Mixon as a member of the Houston Texans, as he missed the entirety of the 2025 season and now the Texans have a better option as their starting running back. Jeremy Fowler essentially confirmed that the end seemed to be near for Mixon in Houston during an interview on The Dan Patrick Show.
"[The Texans] have Woody Marks, a young player, and that leaves a big question mark for Joe Mixon, who is a cap casualty candidate anyways. So I believe that that marriage is probably over at this point, barring a surprise," Fowler said. "They loved Mixon last year, so maybe there's a chance he can come back healthy this year, but it seems like the writing's on the wall with this Montgomery trade."
Jeremy Fowler says "the writing's on the wall" for Joe Mixon
The Texans traded for Mixon two years ago, sending a seventh-round pick to the Bengals in exchange for the former Oklahoma Sooner. In 2024, Mixon showed he was worthy of the trade, rushing for over 1,000 yards and finding the end zone 12 total times.
Unfortunately, he suffered a lingering injury to his foot/ankle that kept him out for the entire 2025 season. That, along with the addition of Montgomery in this trade, has made Mixon expendable.
As Fowler noted, Mixon likely would have been a cap casualty anyway, as Houston can save $8.5 million toward the cap. That money can go a long way for Nick Caserio and the Texans front office moving forward so it really does feel like a no-brainer decision.
Yes, the Texans might have reached to land Montgomery (sending two Day 3 draft picks and Juice Scruggs to Detroit) but he's clearly their guy now. Montgomery and Woody Marks is still one heck of a duo in the backfield and, again, it makes the decision to move on from Mixon that much easier.