It turns out some teams are willing to extend their running backs this year. Cincinnati Bengals announced on Tuesday that they have inked their RB Giovani Bernard to a two-year extension, which will keep him with the organization through 2021.
Although the Bengals failed to reveal the financial terms of the deal, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the overall value of the contract is $10.3 million and includes $600,000 guaranteed. Bernard will also get a raise in 2019, with his salary jumping from $4.3 million to $5.9 million.
“He’s an invaluable player for us,” – said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. “We define what a Bengal is and he fits that description. He’s a physical and hungry accountable teammate that will do everything he can to help his teammates and that’s exactly what Gio has done for us.”
Cincinnati decided to give Bernard an extension although the 27-year-old had an off-season by his standards in 2018. He rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns last year while also adding 35 receptions for 218 yards.
Giovani Bernard entered the league in 2013 as Cincinnati Bengals’ second-round pick. After an encouraging rookie year, in which he made PFWA All-Rookie Team, Bernard didn’t manage to become a star back in the following years. Still, he remained an integral part of Bengals’ offense and established himself as one of better complementary RBs in NFL.
