The Cincinnati Bengals have locked down another member of their core with an extension. First, it was quarterback Joe Burrow.
On Friday, Cincy took care of kicker Evan McPherson, re-signing him to a three-year, $16.5 million deal, according to NFL Media. The $10 million he is set to earn in new money for the first year of the contract is the most ever for a three-year kicker deal per NFL Media's reporting.
The team made the extension official Sunday.
McPherson has been a long range weapon for the Bengals since being drafted 149th overall (fifth round) in the 2021 NFL Draft. His 21 made field goals from 50 yards or deeper, on 28 attempts, are tied for the most such makes in the entire league during the span of his career (since 2021), along with Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell and Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater.
He has also been as clutch as it gets in the postseason, making all 19 of his playoff field goals. Fourteen of them came in Cincy's 2021 run to the Super Bowl his rookie year, which stands as the record for the most field goals without a miss by any kicker in a single postseason in NFL history.
Should Burrow and company continue to hang around in tightly contested playoff clashes, McPherson has them covered for years to come. The Bengals still have yet to come to terms with both of their top wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the latter of whom is playing out 2024 on the franchise tag.