The Houston Texans have yet to see Joe Mixon take the field this preseason. The former Cincinnati Bengals running back arrived during the offseason with the hope that he could rejuvenate the running game behind C.J. Stroud. A running game that had its flaws in 2023
While Devin Singletary performed admirably, even posting a career-best season, the Texans and fans alike believed that the team needed a more impactful running back. Attempts were made at other names, but eventually, Mixon became the guy they got. While not as celebrated as Saquon Barkley, the Texans did get a modest upgrade to the running game. If only barely.
Yet, concerns over his age and history weren't unfounded. Nor was the criticism over his new contract. Mixon had declined in Cincinnati, so the new deal was a bit of a surprise. Then came the quad strain during the preseason. An injury that, on the surface, is far from debilitating but it could be a nagging concern throughout the season.
Strains can persist throughout the season and even turn into tears if not treated correctly. Injuries like this are far more common with footballers as they age and could be a recurring problem. That's why we think there is a fair concern with Mixon's health.
By no means are we writing him off for the season or ringing the bell and proclaiming the "end is nigh". No, we're just saying that older running backs tend to get muscle strains more commonly than younger ones and Mixon falls into the former camp. Does this derail the season? Thankfully, no. I've not been a huge Mixon supporter over the life of his career, and don't believe he's irreplaceable.
The Texans' backup running backs are closer to Mixon's talent level than some may want to admit, and if the Texans had to play a prolong stretch without Mixon, the Texans wouldn't be too negatively impacted if at all.
So while we're worried about his injury that has kept Mixon out of all three preseason games, we're not worried about the team being able to overcome it.