The Cincinnati Bengals will have to navigate the upcoming weeks without the services of their main kicker, Evan McPherson, due to a groin injury. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that McPherson is "expected" to miss a few weeks, although the injury is not expected to end his season. In his absence, the Bengals have decided to quickly shuffle their special teams lineup by signing veteran kicker Cade York, as confirmed by Garafolo in a statement obtained by WLWT.
Garafolo's report highlights that though the Bengals' playoff hopes are dwindling, with NFL.com giving the team a mere 3% chance of making it into the postseason, they are not looking to compromise their special teams. While McPherson has struggled this season, landing only 72.7% of field goal attempts, the Bengals have shown a readiness to pivot and potentially shore up their lineup. With York on board, they aim to fill the void left by an erratic yet crucial kicker.
Apart from Garafolo's insights, FOX19 NOW's Sports Director, Joe Danneman, confirmed the Bengals' kicker situation without providing a specific timeline for McPherson's recovery. As for their coverage, the team's decision to bring in York, a former fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, underscores the urgency to maintain robustness in their special teams unit.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have decided to lay their trust on a kicker who's shown potential but has yet to prove his mettle in the NFL consistently. Cade York, who had just one full NFL season with the Browns in 2022, will look to contribute to the squad significantly. Last season, he made 75% of his field goal attempts, but this year's performance includes missed field goals in his single game for the Washington Commanders. As reported by Sports Illustrated's Bengals affiliate, York missed 56 and 47 yards in that outing, indicating the team may be playing somewhat of a gamble as they aim to recover their footing and finish strong. For additional information on the Bengals, readers can follow the continuous updates on Cincinnati Bengals.
The upcoming Monday night game in Dallas will serve as York's first real test in a Bengals uniform. Everyone concerned will soon see whether York can effectively fill McPherson's shoes and help keep the team's faint playoff hopes alive.
