Joe Mixon arrested: Bengals star in trouble over 'aggravated menacing'

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon has been issued an arrest warrant on a count of aggravated menacing, according to Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus.

The warrant for Mixon, 26, was issued in Cincinnati.

According to Local 12, from Cincinnati, Mixon "allegedly pointed a gun at a woman and said "you should be popped in the face. I should shoot you now. The police can get me."

The Bengals released a statement saying they were investigating the matter.

"The Club is aware misdemeanor charges have been brought against Joe Mixon. The club is investigating the situation and will not comment further at this time."

The arrest could not have come at a worse time for the running back, as his roster spot is in jeopardy for the 2023 season. The Bengals, who recently ended their season with an AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, need to save cash for Joe Burrow's new contract; releasing Mixon would open up to $10 million in salary cap.

Mixon was drafted by the franchise in 2017 with the 48th overall pick. Although his talent as a first-round pick was undeniable, he fell in the draft because of a previous history of assault charges against Amelia Monitor. He reached a settlement with the woman just six days before the draft; some teams removed him from their board entirely as a result of the incident.

He was given a chance by the Bengals, and became one of the most important players on offense. The emergence of guys like Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins alongside Burrow shifted the focus to more of a passing offense, meaning that his value to the team has diminished in the past two seasons.

What is aggravated menacing?

According to Ohio laws, aggravated menacing is a more violent type of threat than just menacing.

"The prosecution must prove that you knowingly caused another person to believe that you would cause serious physical harm to their person, property, unborn child or immediate family."

It does not bode well for Mixon based on his previous actions. This would justify an immediate release by the Bengals.

Will the Bengals release Joe Mixon?

With the amount of money that can be saved in the salary cap, his roster spot is going to be a huge storyline in Cincinnati.

He was already a candidate to be cut following Samaje Perine's emergence in 2022. But now, his future with the franchise is bleak. As much as he might be a good player with the ball in his hands, some things are just inexcusable. He's a serious candidate to be cut now.

According to Spotrac, the Bengals have the sixth-most cap space available in the NFL for the 2023 season, but one must consider the fact that Joe Burrow is due to receive a new contract this offseason. Cincinnati will try to save all the money it can.