The Bengals worked out some veteran options to fill in, and the team announced the signing former Browns and Commanders kicker Cade York to the practice squad.
#Bengals K Evan McPherson is expected to miss a few weeks with a groin injury, sources say. Not a season-ender or any surgery required but he will miss some time. The team worked out veteran options today. pic.twitter.com/UtqDIWksPV
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 4, 2024
York, who was on LSU’s national championship team in 2019 with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, began the season with the Washington Commanders but was replaced by Austin Seibert after a poor showing in the opening loss to Tampa Bay when he missed two field goals. He has been a free agent since then.
McPherson had been struggling this season and in recent interviews had said he didn’t know why he kept missing left.
Through 12 games in his fourth NFL season he has missed five kicks from 40 yards or more, and he missed a PAT in a 26-25 loss at Kansas City. Two of his missed field goals came in the fourth quarter in a Nov. 17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers when he twice had chances to give the Bengals a lead, and he also missed a 53-yarder in a Week 5 loss to Baltimore that would have won the game in overtime.
McPherson made his only field goal attempt Sunday in a loss to Pittsburgh, and it’s unclear when the groin injury occurred. He had left for the locker room at one point during the game but quickly returned.
Now the Bengals will be relying on York, who has struggled with consistency in his short NFL career, which began when he was selected by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
After struggling as a rookie, York was waived in August 2023 and spent time on the New York Giants’ and Tennessee Titans’ practice squads but did not appear in an NFL game that season. He re-joined the Browns in March but was traded to Washington in August for his short stint with the Commanders.
York is 24-for-34 on field goal attempts in his career and 37-of-39 on PATs.
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