The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are adding another veteran to their roster, signing running back Joe Mixon after working him out on Monday.
And I think this is a very good move for Seattle.
Do I expect Joe Mixon to suddenly come in and completely revamp the Seahawks’ offense? No. He is 30 years old and hasn’t played an NFL game since the 2024 season.
But Seattle doesn’t need him to be the Joe Mixon of five years ago. They need another capable running back who can help a rushing attack that hasn’t been particularly impressive to start the season.
Seattle’s Run Game Hasn’t Been Great
The Seahawks are 3–1 and remain one of the better teams in football, but their running game hasn’t been a major reason why.
Through four games, Seattle has rushed for 441 yards on 113 attempts, an average of just 3.9 yards per carry. The Seahawks have also scored only three rushing touchdowns.
Emanuel Wilson currently leads Seattle’s running backs with 190 rushing yards on 53 carries, averaging only 3.6 yards per attempt. Rookie Jadarian Price has 119 yards on 28 carries, while George Holani has 70 yards on 22 attempts.
Those aren’t disastrous numbers, but they aren’t what we became accustomed to seeing from Seattle’s backfield during last season’s Super Bowl run.
Seattle’s Backfield Has Been Hit Hard
A large part of Seattle’s success last season was built around its running game, particularly the combination of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.
That backfield doesn’t exist anymore.
Walker left Seattle during free agency after his Super Bowl MVP season, while Charbonnet is still working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered during Seattle’s Divisional Round victory over San Francisco.
Seattle attempted to address the position by selecting Jadarian Price in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Price has now been placed on injured reserve after suffering a chest injury.
That suddenly leaves a defending champion with a lot of uncertainty at running back.
Enter Joe Mixon.
Mixon Has a Proven Track Record
Mixon missed the entire 2025 season because of a foot injury, so there will obviously be questions about what he has left after such a long absence.
But we’re also talking about a player with a very accomplished NFL résumé.
Mixon has rushed for 7,428 yards and 60 touchdowns during his career and has produced five separate 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
His most recent NFL season came with Houston in 2024, and he was still productive. Mixon rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 14 games, averaging 4.1 yards per carry and earning his second career Pro Bowl selection.
That wasn’t five years ago. That was the last time he stepped onto an NFL field.
The question isn’t whether Mixon has ever been good enough. We know he has.
The question is how much of that player remains after missing an entire season.
Seattle Doesn’t Need Mixon to Be a Star
That’s why I like this move.
Seattle isn’t bringing Mixon in and asking him to carry the offense.
The Seahawks are already 3–1. They are the defending Super Bowl champions. They have plenty of talent elsewhere on the roster, and Charbonnet is progressing toward a return.
What Mixon gives them is another option.
If he can come in and provide reliable carries, short-yardage production and another veteran presence in the backfield, that’s already valuable.
And if he gets healthy and looks anything close to the player who rushed for over 1,000 yards with Houston the last time we saw him?
Then Seattle may have found something much more significant.
A Low-Risk Move That Makes Sense
Joe Mixon isn’t being asked to save the Seattle Seahawks.
They don’t need saving.
They’re 3–1, they’re defending Super Bowl champions, and they’re once again positioned to contend in the NFC.
What they do need is help at running back.
Their first-round rookie is now on injured reserve. Charbonnet is still completing his recovery from a torn ACL. The running game has averaged only 3.9 yards per carry through four games.
So why not take a chance on a veteran with five 1,000-yard seasons who rushed for 1,016 yards the last time he played?
We don’t know what Joe Mixon will look like after a year away from football.
But for Seattle, this is exactly the type of move a championship contender should be willing to make.
The Seahawks don’t need the old Joe Mixon. They just need him to make their backfield better than it is today.
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