CINCINNATI, Ohio — The rent is coming due for the Bengals and some of their top skill players — and there are sure to be cap casualties as Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and others get top-level contracts.
One of those moves might be the release of running back Joe Mixon.
But even if the Bengals don’t release Mixon, they’ve got some questions to answer at the running back position with Samaje Perine needing a new deal.
Here’s a few running backs, aside from consensus No. 1 Bijan Robinson, in NFL Draft 2023 who look like they can make a day one impact:
Bengals running backs in focus:
- 2022 Position Review: How effective was the one-two punch of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine?
- Free agency: Is cutting Joe Mixon the easiest decision of the offseason?
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Gibbs rushed for 926 yards on 151 carries in his first and only season at Alabama, and more than that, he was a threat out of the backfield too. He caught 44 passes for 444 yards.
For teams that need a speed back that can catch passes, Gibbs is certainly the most intriguing option. He’s a dual-threat running back that has drawn comparisons to Saints running back Alvin Kamara.
Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
Charbonnet split his college career at Michigan and UCLA, and became one of the premier running backs in the country.
With ideal size (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) to be a three-down running back, he’s certainly a running back that can be an effective rusher between the tackles for a team.
At UCLA in 2022 he rushed for 1,359 yards on 195 attempts (7.0 yards per carry) with 14 touchdowns.
Tank Bigsby, Auburn
Bigsby has a prized background as a former five-star running back, but never became the elite running back at Auburn many hoped he’d become. That was due in part to the struggles that program faced.
In 2022, he rushed for 970 yards on 179 attempts with 10 touchdowns and had 30 catches for 180 yards. He’s not a pass-catching threat like some of the other backs in this class, but he’s got the talent to be a workhorse.
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Devon Achane, Texas A&M
There might not be a more exciting running back prospect after Robinson than Achane.
At 5-9 and 185 pounds, he likely isn’t going to fit into a three-down, 25-carry-a-game role for a team in the league. But what he possesses is home-run ability that few in the class offer.
He rushed for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns for the Aggies in 2022 and added 196 yards receiving. He also was the team’s kickoff returner, and scored a touchdown in both 2021 and 2022.
He’s an explosive running back that’s a threat to take a handoff or catch for a touchdown every time he touches the ball.
Andrew Gillis covers the Bengals for cleveland.com. Follow him on Twitter @Andrew_Gillis70 for the latest updates and see all his coverage at StrictlyStripes.com.
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