Bengals to extend kicker Evan McPherson

Bengals conversations with Evan McPherson have produced a deal ahead of the kicker’s contract year.

NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports the parties came to terms on an extension that will tie McPherson to Cincinnati through 2027.

McPherson agreed to a three-year, $16.5M deal that Garafolo indicates will include $10M in new money in Year 1. This frontloaded contract makes McPherson the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid kicker, with the deal’s structure undoubtedly appealing to the young specialist.

This extension has been rumored for months, so unsurprisingly, the Bengals have completed a deal in a low-cost market. The NFL’s highest-paid kicker (Harrison Butker) is tied to a $6.4M-per-year number. McPherson’s second contract will come in at fifth, tied with Graham Gano at $5.5M AAV.

Memorably kicking game-winning field goals to help the Bengals upset the Titans and Chiefs to reach Super Bowl LVI, McPherson has yet to make 85% of his tries during a regular season. He checked in at 83.9% last year, seeing his 50-plus-yard accuracy wane. After making 14 of 16 50-plus-yard tries from 2021-22, the former fifth-round pick was just 7 of 12 from long range last season. Still, McPherson is just 25 and has a clear path to becoming a long-term Bengals kicker via this extension.

The Browns were eyeing McPherson in the 2021 draft, leading them to Cade York a year later. The Bengals ended up taking the Florida product to replace Randy Bullock, their kicker of four seasons. This extension will take McPherson through Year 7, though he must remain in good form following 2024 to stay on the deal. Given this contract's frontloaded structure and low rate, the Bengals could get out of it relatively easily after this year. However, considering how the team prioritized the agreement, a separation is unlikely for the foreseeable future.