Cincinnati Bengals Sign Key Veteran to Contract Extension

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals signed veteran center Ted Karras to a contract extension on Friday.

Karras has made 50 regular season starts for the Bengals over the past three seasons. He's a captain and a key piece of the Bengals' offensive line.

The contract extension is for one year, which means Karras is signed through the 2026 season. He has lined up for 3514 of a possible 3533 offensive snaps (99.5 percent).

It's a one-year, $5 million contract extension according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Karras, 32, is coming off of arguably his best NFL season. He posted a 78.0 pass blocking grade last season according to Pro Football Focus, which finished seventh among centers.

Multiple coaches and players have praised Karras' leadership this offseason. He was named a captain again this year and is a clear leader in the locker room.

"Ted's a tough, physical player, brings a lot of energy and a leader of the O-line," Joe Burrow said last season. "He brings something to the table that you can't quite quantify. He's organizing dinners, having guys to his house, building that team chemistry that's required. That role is kind of forgotten, but a really important one."

Karras initially signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Bengals in 2022. Last offseason he signed a one-year extension. He did the same thing this year to stay in Cincinnati.

Rest of O-Line Room

This contract means that Karras and Orlando Brown Jr. are both signed through the 2026 campaign.

Second-year offensive tackle Amarius Mims and rookie Dylan Fairchild are hoping to continue to grow and be key pieces of the offensive line moving forward.

The right guard spot is a question mark, but Lucas Patrick will get the start against the Browns. Both Patrick and Dalton Risner praised Karras for his leadership and what he's done to help them get comfortable in Cincinnati.

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