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          Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals reach 4-year extension; worth $48 million, sources say

          • Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterSep 1, 2020, 06:57 PM
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              Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
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          Running back Joe Mixon has signed a four-year extension with the Bengals through the 2024 season, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $48 million, according to ESPN sources and multiple reports.

          "We are excited that we got this done with Joe," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "He has been a valuable weapon for our offense and team. Joe provides great energy not only on the field but in the building as well, and we are ready to move forward as we prepare for the Chargers."

          NFL Network first reported the financial terms of the extension.

          Mixon tweeted a picture of himself with members of the Bengals' front office Tuesday before he joined the rest of the team for practice.

          Mixon, 24, had been absent from practice recently as he suffered from migraines, according to Taylor. Mixon declined to speak to the media during training camp, which ended Sunday.

          The second-round pick in the 2017 draft was set to make $1.2 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal. The former Oklahoma star told ESPN at the end of last season that he wants to be a "Bengal for life," amid early speculation about his contract situation.

          Mixon rushed for 1,136 yards and five touchdowns last season, his second straight season with more than 1,000 rushing yards. He is one of four running backs in the NFL with at least 1,400 yards from scrimmage in each of the past two seasons, along with Carolina's Christian McCaffrey, the Giants' Saquon Barkley and Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott.

          Mixon is fifth in the NFL in yards after contact since his rookie season in 2017, and has the league's seventh-most rushing yards since the start of the 2018 season.

          Last week, Taylor said Mixon's absence was not related to his contract situation and that he was day-to-day with his migraines. Mixon and Taylor shared an embrace before Sunday's scrimmage, where Mixon did rehab work on the sideline after being absent from practice earlier in the week.

          During Tuesday's practice, reporters spotted Mixon and team president Mike Brown engaged in a conversation. Brown has not held a news conference since before the 2019 season.

          Mixon joins wide receiver Tyler Boyd, defensive tackle D.J. Reader and the rest of the 2020 draft class -- including rookie quarterback Joe Burrow -- as Bengals who are currently under contract through the 2023 season.