Evan Mcpherson

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	FG%
Career		61	83.2%
2025		17	89.3%
2024		12	72.7%
2023		17	83.9%
2022		16	82.8%
2021

Season	Team	GP	Grade
2025		17	B B Top 29%
2024		12	F F Bottom 5%
2023		17	D+ D+ Bottom 30%
2022		16	D D Bottom 20%
2021		16	C- C- Below average

Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Bengals locked down solid value with Evan McPherson's three-year, $16.5M extension, earning a B- CVI that reflects smart roster management at a volatile position. McPherson sits in the serviceable starter tier production-wise, but his $5.5M AAV places him in the middle tier of kicker salaries — reasonable positioning for a player who's delivered clutch moments in big games despite some inconsistency. At just 25 years old, McPherson should have his most accurate years ahead of him, making this deal more palatable than overpaying an aging veteran at the position. The contract structure is kicker-friendly with limited guaranteed money beyond the $5.0M upfront, giving Cincinnati flexibility if his accuracy wanes or if they need cap space elsewhere. While McPherson isn't an elite leg like Justin Tucker, this deal represents the Bengals investing in continuity and playoff experience at a reasonable price point, avoiding the kicker carousel that has plagued many franchises.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Evan's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Evan McPherson enters his fifth NFL season as one of the more recognizable young kickers in the AFC, drafted by Cincinnati in 2021 and immediately cementing himself as a postseason weapon. His overall grade sits at a C-, reflecting a turbulent recent stretch that has obscured a genuinely promising foundation. Among AFC kickers, McPherson remains relevant but is trending in the wrong direction. His current-season FG accuracy of 89.3% sits meaningfully above the NFL average of 85.0%, which is an encouraging sign amid an otherwise inconsistent run. The elite threshold sits at 93.0%, giving McPherson a clear target to chase as he refines his consistency. The concerning story is his season-grade trajectory — rebounding to a B in 2025 after a brutal F in 2024 and a D+ in 2023 — suggesting a player still searching for a sustainable floor. The 2024 collapse was the defining setback, and whether McPherson has genuinely corrected the mechanical and situational issues that caused it remains the central question heading forward. His ceiling, evidenced by his legendary 2021 playoff run, is legitimate — few young kickers have performed on bigger stages. If the 2025 grade holds and he pushes that FG accuracy closer to the elite range, a full return to Pro Bowl conversation is realistic within two seasons.

How Evan Compares at the Position

Evan Mcpherson ranks 20th of 39 graded pks by performance. That slots Evan between Brandon Mcmanus (C-) just ahead and Spencer Shrader (D+) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Evan McPherson enters the 2026 season carrying a B- grade that reflects the NFL community's conflicted view of a kicker whose elite ceiling remains shadowed by consistency concerns. The public perception of McPherson has become increasingly complicated, with his jaw-dropping 63-yard field goal capability serving as a constant reminder of the explosive leg talent that captivated fans during Cincinnati's Super Bowl run, yet analysts remain frustrated by his inability to translate that range into reliable week-to-week performance. The narrative took a particularly painful turn with his NFL-record field goal that was nullified by penalty — a sequence that perfectly encapsulates the boom-or-bust energy now attached to his name and has given critics concrete ammunition to question his mental toughness in crucial moments. Additional incidents, including a short kick blamed on equipment issues and field goals that barely clear the crossbar, have reinforced the growing sentiment that McPherson represents both tantalizing upside and maddening inconsistency. Heading into 2026, the broader football world views him as a high-variance specialist whose reputation will ultimately be defined by whether teams choose to emphasize his breathtaking range or his uneven reliability when games are on the line.