The Seahawks Were Signing Free Agent RB Joe Mixon…Until They Weren’t

The Seahawks went shopping for a running back this week and came home empty-handed. Joe Mixon was reportedly headed to Seattle, right up until the team doctor got involved.

Reports had gotten far enough along that Mike Macdonald was asked about Mixon in his Monday press conference. His explanation was about as plain as it gets. "We're down runners. We need running backs. He's a good running back."

Rich appreciated the simplicity. "That's sometimes a simple answer," he said. Then came the twist. Per an Adam Schefter tweet, the Seahawks decided not to sign Mixon to their practice squad after he underwent a physical with the team.

"Oh, boy," Rich said. The foot injury that kept Mixon out in Houston, and eventually off the Texans, is now apparently keeping him off the Seahawks too.

Nobody on the show could explain it, because nobody has been talking about it. The table noted that John McClain, an old buddy of the show from down in Houston, said he has never seen a stranger injury case in all his years covering the league. The Texans refused to discuss it, and Mixon was never made available.

That leaves Seattle where it was. Emanuel Wilson, who scored last week, remains atop the depth chart heading into this week's game against the 49ers. Zach Charbonnet is not back yet. George Holani is the backup.

The bigger irony, as Rich sees it, is the running back Seattle let go. "It's kind of interesting that they let Kenneth Walker walk, and look what he's doing somewhere else," he said. Walker is leading the league in rushing, and Rich floated that he "could wind up helping the Chiefs to the Super Bowl and win it."

He drew a direct parallel. Sam Darnold was allowed to walk from Minnesota, and he went on to help Seattle win a Super Bowl, leaving "a big old hole in Minnesota that they're still trying to fill." Now Seattle may be on the other side of that kind of move.

Walker's lead is wide enough that he could stay on top of the rushing chart even while sitting out this week on his bye. A quick look-up after Monday night's game showed Bijan Robinson 47 yards behind. Robinson should be able to pass him with a fifth game, which, as Rich put it, makes it "kind of interesting."

It is less fun in Seattle. The Seahawks thought they had their answer in Mixon "until the doctor rings him up." Now it is back to the drawing board, and their hope is that Charbonnet returns looking like the back who scored 12 touchdowns last year. Rich suspects that is a big part of why Seattle was willing to tell Walker, "There's the door. We'll use your money elsewhere."