Seahawks Backfield Plans Just Took A Turn Fans Didn't Expect

Joe Mixon's potential move to the Seahawks collapses as Seattle opts for safer choices amidst concerns over player conduct.

Joe Mixon’s run toward Seattle appears to be over before it really started.

What initially surfaced as a practice-squad signing has now unraveled, with NFL insider Adam Schefter reporting that the Seahawks won’t be signing the veteran running back after all. In other words, the idea that Mixon was headed to Seattle may never have been accurate in the first place.

That lines up with the Seahawks’ other move at the position: they reportedly added Robert Henry Jr. from the Washington Commanders’ practice squad. With Henry in the mix and Zach Charbonnet possibly on the way back soon, Seattle already looked crowded at running back before Mixon entered the picture. Charbonnet could return by Week 6, though there’s no firm timetable for his comeback.

Mixon’s availability also comes with plenty of baggage. He missed all of last season because of a foot injury, and his off-field history has followed him for years, beginning in college when he was accused of punching a female student. He has also been accused of other issues involving females.

Even with that background, the Seahawks have shown a willingness to add players with off-field questions before. They previously signed cornerback Terrion Arnold ahead of the season, and Arnold is facing eight felony charges, including armed robbery.

Still, that kind of move carried different weight when former head coach Pete Carroll had control of the roster. General manager John Schneider holds that power now, and bringing in two embattled players in less than two months would have been a risky path.

For now, Mixon is back to free agency and does not appear likely to land on Seattle’s active roster. The Seahawks seem set to keep moving with Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and the newly acquired Robert Henry Jr., while Velus Jones Jr. remains an option to be elevated from the practice squad if needed.

Seattle also has rookie Jadarian Price on injured reserve with a chest injury, though he could return by Week 8. Even with that uncertainty, the numbers in the room have made one thing clear: there wasn’t much space left for Joe Mixon anyway, and now there almost certainly isn’t any.

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