Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon could be out into the regular season.
Mixon, who is on the team's non-football injury list, is expected to be out for an extended period of time with a foot injury, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday, per sources informed of the situation.
The Texans plan to re-evaluate the RB closer to the regular season to determine his availability, but it's possible he misses the opening week, Rapoport added. Houston play at the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7.
Mixon missed the offseason program while dealing with the injury suffered while working out this offseason. The issue was repeatedly downplayed by the club in the spring and summer, which reportedly wasn't expected to be serious.
Traded to Houston last offseason from Cincinnati, Mixon was the Texans' bell cow in 2024, rushing for 1,016 yards on 256 carries with 11 rushing scores. He missed three games early in the season and played through an ankle injury in the playoffs.
What's next for Texans' backfield?
Mixon's questionable availability for the start of the regular season makes the offseason signing of Nick Chubb more significant.
The veteran inked a one-year contract worth $2.5 million in Houston in June. At the time, the signing was billed as giving the Texans backfield depth behind Mixon, as the club struggled to gain traction when the starter wasn't on the field last year.
Now, Chubb could be in line for a potential starter's role to open the season.
The four-time Pro Bowler didn't look like himself at all in eight games in Cleveland last season following a gruesome 2023 knee injury. Chubb has played in just 10 total games the past two years.
The hope is that two seasons removed from the injury, the 29-year-old looks more like his steam-rolling self in 2025.
Fellow backup Dameon Pierce, who's struggled to gain traction the past two seasons, opened camp on the physically unable to perform list, but could fill a role if he is activated before the season. Likewise, J.J. Taylor opened up camp on the PUP list for a banged-up Texans backfield.
The injuries could open up the door for fourth-round rookie Woody Marks to showcase his talents during camp and the preseason and carve out an early-season role as a passing-down maven and one-cut slasher.
