The Facts: Bengals OC Brian Callahan on the plan for third-down usage among the RBs: "I don't want (Mixon) to leave the field, and I think he's up for that challenge."

Diehards Line: Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Mixon was supposed to be the workhorse back to take pressure off quarterback Joe Burrow last year. Injuries wrecked those plans. Mixon played in just six games in 2020 due to a foot injury that wiped out the final 10 games of the season. The good news? Coach Zach Taylor said Mixon is healthy and ready to go in 2021. It also sounds like the Bengals realize what we've all seen: Mixon can be a pass-catching option for the young QB. He was on pace for 69 targets last season before the foot injury, which would have been a career-high. Adding to that, the release of Giovani Bernard frees up more passing-down snaps and targets for Mixon. ... We'll continue watching for more on this.