Bengals shore up offensive line, extend two-time Super Bowl champion

One of the biggest goals for the Bengals during the 2024 season should be to keep quarterback Joe Burrow upright following any injury-riddled start to his NFL career.

The former No. 1 overall pick tore his ACL and MCL during his rookie year and then suffered a season-ending wrist injury in 2023.

Cincinnati took another step toward keeping Burrow healthy by signing starting center and team captain Ted Karras to a one-year contract extension on Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Karras was heading into the final year of his three-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2022. That is no longer the case as the Bengals felt it was right to give him a little more security heading into this season.

The 31-year-old has seen more days in the league than he's going to, but he has been durable, starting all 33 regular-season games since joining the team. 

He put together a solid 2023 campaign in which he allowed just six sacks on 1,075 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Plus, having a player with championship experience such as Karras is worth keeping around for that alone. He has hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy twice in his career during his stint with the New England Patriots, something Cincinnati has yet to do.

If he can help Burrow stay healthy and the Bengals return to being a Super Bowl contender, he'll be worth every penny.

When healthy, Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, throwing for 14,083 yards and 97 touchdowns across 52 games.

Cincinnati's offseason has featured a lot of uncertainty for players like wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson. 

However, it is Karras who got a deal done first as the Bengals look to build upon their offensive line's continuity heading into the summer.