Bengals Sign RB Giovani Bernard To A Three-Year, $15M Extension

Update:

The Cincinnati Bengals have confirmed that they’ve signed RB Giovani Bernard to a three-year extension.

NEWS: #Bengals sign @G_Bernard25 to 3 yr contract extension running through 2019. #LetsRoar pic.twitter.com/PF23nD7584

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 8, 2016

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Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that the Bengals are finalizing a three-year, $15.5 million contract extension with RB Giovani Bernard.

• According to Pelissero, Bernard will make over $6 million in 2016 and will be under team control through the 2019 season.
• Pelissero adds that Bernard receives over $9 million in total over the next two years of the deal.

This extension should leave Bernard among the top-ten highest paid running backs on a per-year basis for at least the time being. Bernard will be just 28 by the end of the deal, which means he could get another market value deal before he’s 30 years old.

Bernard, 24, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2013. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $5.253 million rookie contract that included a $2.2 million signing bonus.

Bernard was set to make a base salary of $1,071,364 for the 2016 season.

In 2015, Bernard appeared in all 16 games for the Bengals and ran for 730 yards on 154 carries (4.7 YPC) to go along with 49 receptions for 472 yards receiving and three total touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 24 running back out of 69 qualifying players.