The Cincinnati Bengals and running back Joe Mixon had plenty of reasons to do the contract restructure.
For the Bengals, it was a no-brainer to save some cap space on a position that has dramatically devalued over the years, especially as they get ready to extend Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and others.
And for Mixon, it was about multiple things, starting with the opportunity to stay with the team that drafted him and finish what he started.
“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,” Mixon’s agent, Peter Schaffer, said in a statement.
Of course, we could point to Mixon not wanting to get released and battling a brutal running back market that still sees the likes of Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott as free agents, too.
But this always felt like what would happen for both parties. The camaraderie between the guys in the locker room isn’t just for the cameras and this is the latest example.