Cincinnati Bengals Injury and Practice Report: Running Back Joe Mixon Back to Work

The Cincinnati Bengals held their final practice of the 2023 NFL season today, and running back Joe Mixon was back to work after missing Thursday due to illness.

Mixon and the rest of the starters are expected to play Sunday in the season finale against the Cleveland Browns as the Bengals try to finish with a winning record and avoid the ignominy of going 0-6 in the AFC North division.

Cincinnati Bengals Injury and Practice Report

The biggest question mark among the starting group is wide receiver Tee Higgins, who suffered a hamstring injury Sunday at Kansas City.

It happened on the opening drive, and Higgins sat out the rest of the first half before returning in the third quarter and running two go routes, one of which resulted in a 30-yard penalty against the Chiefs for pass interference.

Higgins was in jersey and going through team stretch today, but he did not participate in any of the position drills during the open viewing period for the media. He also wore his jersey and went through stretches but did not participate in any portion of the practice.

Tee in jersey and going through stretch.
Mixon back today from illness.

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) January 5, 2024

Zac Taylor said Higgins was limited and the team will make a decision on him Saturday, but it doesn’t sound as though he’ll go.

Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is battling a shoulder injury, but he made it clear Thursday that he’s playing against the Browns. Chase has a career-high 96 catches this season, and he said getting to 100 would be meaningful for him.

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Mixon is at 923 yards and looking for his fourth 1,000-yard season. But 77 yards has not been a mark he’s hit regularly this season, doing it only twice against the Indianapolis Colts (79) and Arizona Cardinals (81).

On defense, the Bengals could be without cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who went limited Wednesday and Thursday with a shoulder injury and was not participating in position drills today, although he was present and in his jersey.

Awuzie has been splitting time with rookie DJ Turner, but on Sunday, at Kansas City, Awuzie played the whole game while Turner logged just seven snaps. Awuzie will be a free agent at the end of the year, and Sunday could be his final game with the Bengals if he plays.

The injury report will be out around 2:15 p.m. ET, and we’ll get a better idea of what each player’s status is for Sunday.

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