Over the past thirty years, the Cincinnati Bengals have put substantial stock into the running back position. The team infamously selected Ki-Jana Carter with the first overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft and then mercurial running back Corey Dillon was one of the most talented running backs at the start of the new millennium. Cincinnati has clearly put an emphasis on the quarterback position but they have also made it apparent that they believe the offense relies on a balance between an elite quarterback and a bell cow running back.
It is no secret that the running back position has taken a major blow to its value over the past few seasons with the exploded salary cap growth rate. While the peak salaries at the quarterback position have multiplied over the past decade, the running back position has stagnated while the average career length of running backs has tanked.
That problem has officially spread to the Cincinnati’s complete back Joe Mixon as the Oklahoma product is expected to be released from the roster over the next few weeks. Mixon has managed to hit the 1,000-rushing yard mark four times during his career with Cincinnati after he was drafted with the 48th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft but he has also been the subject of some heavy scrutiny over the past few seasons. Let’s take a look at the rationale for Cincinnati.
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