Sources - Bengals release Joe Mixon, reach deal with Zack Moss - ESPN

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals are making a big move at running back.

Longtime starter Joe Mixon was released and will be replaced by former Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night.

Moss and Cincinnati agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $8 million, including a $4.525 million payout in year one, a source told Schefter. That move prompted Mixon's release.

Mixon, a second-round draft pick out of Oklahoma in 2017, had been the Bengals' primary running back for the past seven seasons. In 2023, he rushed for 1,034 yards and 9 touchdowns and totaled 1,410 total yards from scrimmage.

Moss, 26, is coming off a breakout season. He proved to be a capable stand-in to power the Colts' running game when called upon during two separate absences for All-Pro back Jonathan Taylor.

After suffering a broken arm during summer practices, Moss began the season as the Colts' starting back while Taylor was on the physically unable to perform list, getting the kind of opportunities he rarely enjoyed during two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Moss has registered each of his top three rushing performances since being traded to the Colts in 2022, including a career best 165-yard effort against the Tennessee Titans last October.

With Taylor out of the lineup, Moss' hot start made him the NFL's third-leading rusher through five weeks. He finished with 794 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns in 14 games, while missing two games late in the season with a shoulder injury. He also flashed his ability as a receiver, catching a career-high 27 passes for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Colts' decision to give Taylor a long-term, $42 million extension last season directly impacted Moss'