The Houston Texans are showing their commitment to newly-acquired running back Joe Mixon by signing him to a three-year contract extension worth $27 million, with $13 million guaranteed. Mixon, who was obtained from the Bengals earlier in the week in exchange for a seventh-round pick, was initially slated to earn a $2.2 million base salary for the 2024 season.

Including various bonuses, his cap hit would have been $6.1 million.

With this extension, Mixon becomes the league’s seventh-highest-paid running back in terms of average annual value, covering his ages 28 to 30 seasons.

The decision to offer Mixon this deal may raise eyebrows, given his recent performance. He hasn’t exceeded 4.1 yards per carry since 2018 and is entering a phase of his career where running backs often experience decline. Despite his ability to handle significant volume, his efficiency and explosiveness as both a runner and receiver have been lacking in recent years.

However, the Texans, who boasted one of the NFL’s top offenses last season under rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, evidently believe that Mixon can provide a boost throughout the remainder of Stroud’s rookie contract. Time will reveal the wisdom of this decision, but Mixon will certainly enjoy the financial rewards regardless.