Many, if not most, consider the offensive line to be the most important unit on a football team.
Yes, the quarterback is unquestionably the most prominent position on the field, but even the most gifted signal-caller has little to no chance of success if he does not have the time to run the play.
For the Cincinnati Bengals, this is a unit that has been under the microscope for years, and the team on Thursday took a significant step toward shoring up protection and blocking for franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.
Ian Rapoport revealed that the team signed center Ted Karras to a one-year contract extension through 2025 that will pay him a $6.6 million average over the next two seasons.
For Ted Karras, it’s a 1-year extension that will pay him $6.6M average per year over the two years. https://t.co/eZnFvzrhkE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 13, 2024
The 31-year-old Karras is a favorite of both teammates and fans alike, and he is a valuable commodity in the quest to keep Burrow healthy and the team on track to return to the Super Bowl.
Karras was not part of that last Super Bowl appearance, as he signed a three-year deal with the Bengals a few months after the title game loss to the Rams.
But he’s proven his mettle by starting all 33 games since signing and was last year’s team nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
Karras spearheaded the popular Cincy Hat project, which raised $1 million to support housing for intellectually disabled adults in both his hometown of Indianapolis and his new Ohio home.
This is just the latest move by the team to solidify the front wall and ensure long-term success.
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