One team’s loss is another team’s treasure. If not, just ask the Cincinnati Bengals, who are re-signing a player overlooked by Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs before proving useful for Joe Burrow and company during the 2024 NFL season.
NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Tuesday that the Bengals are handing punter Ryan Rehkow a two-year contract extension, securing his presence in Cincinnati through the 2026 NFL season. The team later confirmed the move on its official website.
Rehkow, 26, originally entered the NFL thanks to the Chiefs, who brought him as an undrafted free agent out of BYU last year. But his tenure with Reid‘s team didn’t last long, as he got cut in June 2024.
Rehkow’s contribution to Burrow’s Bengals after being cut by Chiefs
He found a new home in Cincinnati only a month later, making the cut for the 53-man roster ahead of the 2024 NFL regular season. Rehkow embraced the starting punter job, proving to be a reliable contributor on special teams.
Ryan Rehkow #8 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Rehkow, in fact, set franchise records for gross punting average (49.1 yards per punt) and net average (42.9) in his very first season with the Bengals. With his continuity secured, the front office now can focus on getting even more important extensions done to put Burrow in a position to succeed.
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Bengals aim to re-sign key players to help Burrow
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Bengals will make an effort to pull off long-term contract extensions for three key teammates of Burrow: wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, wideout Tee Higgins, and defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
All eyes are on the future of these players as their presence in Cincinnati could be crucial for Burrow’s success. The quarterback has already led the franchise to a long-awaited Super Bowl appearance in 2021-22, but not even an MVP-caliber campaign was enough to guide the team to the playoffs in 2024.
After seeing Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles get over the hump with a Super Bowl win over Reid’s Chiefs, Burrow publicly asked the Bengals’ front office to pay his teammates this summer.
“The Eagles are paying everybody,” Burrow said on the ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast after Super Bowl LIX, as quoted by the Cincinnati Enquirer. “That seems like the way, whatever they’re doing.”
