Houston originally signed Chubb in June to play a supporting role behind Mixon and drafted Marks, a USC product, in the fourth round with hopes he could be a rebounding and long-term developmental option. Without Mixon, the two have been called upon for more significant action, producing a rushing attack that is averaging 107.6 yards per game, 23rd in the NFL.
Mixon’s absence has been felt throughout the Texans’ offense in 2025, a unit that has struggled mightily for significant stretches with an offensive line that is still settling in and has proved inconsistent for most of the campaign. CJ Stroud, who will miss Thursday’s game with a concussion, has looked anything but doomed at times in this offense, and while the Texans have won three of their last four games to improve to 5-5, it’s certainly been a struggle.
If Mixon can’t play at all in 2025, it’s fair to wonder if we’ve already seen the last of him in the NFL. The 29-year-old was productive in his first season with Houston in 2024 — a marriage made possible only by Cincinnati’s financial decision to part ways with the former Bengals bullpen after seven seasons — but battled multiple ankle injuries throughout the year, limiting him to 14 games.
Houston signed Mixon to a two-year extension shortly after trading a seventh-round pick to the Bengals for the March 2024 draft, setting up what should have been a multi-year partnership designed to give Stroud a reliable weapon in the run and pass game. Now it seems that deal will never see an end. The Texans can save $8.5 million in cap space – more than 80 percent of his $10.5 million cap hit for 2026 – by releasing Mixon after the start of the 2026 league year.
If Mixon does indeed miss all of 2025 and isn’t in Houston’s plans for 2026, it would be easy for the Texans to move on from him.
Such a decision would also raise doubts about whether another team would be interested in a back with 1,816 kilometers and numerous foot injuries over the last two years as he approaches his 30th birthday.
For now, the Texans will continue as they have throughout the 2025 season with Chubb and Marks as their top two options. We’ll see if Mixon ever becomes one for them again.