Bengals extend RB Bernard for 3 years

The Cincinnati Bengals announced today they have extended the contract of running back Giovani Bernard for three years through 2019.

A second-round pick out of North Carolina and the first running back selected in 2013, Bernard has rushed for 2,105 yards and 12 touchdowns in his first three seasons, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He also has 148 receptions for 1,335 yards and five touchdowns.

“I love Cincinnati and want to be here for as long as I can,” Bernard said. “This moment is about having a future. It’s a secure feeling knowing I’ll be here and can help this team win. I can’t picture myself in anything but orange and black.”

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Bernard’s value is in his versatility out of the backfield. He ranked fourth on the team in receptions last year with 49, three behind tight end Tyler Eifert, and fourth in receiving yards with 472.

In a Sunday night game at Arizona on his 24th birthday, he set the franchise record for receiving yards by a running back 128 on eight receptions, surpassing the previous mark of 119 set by Brandon Bennett in 1998.

Bernard’s 56 receptions as a rookie set the franchise record for catches by a running back, and the 514 yards he had that year remain his season high. His 1,209 yards from scrimmage that year were the second most by a rookie in team history behind running back Corey Dillon’s 1,388 in 1997.

The Bengals drafted Jeremy Hill in the second round the following spring, and Bernard and Hill have teamed to form one of the top tailback duos in the league the past two seasons, combing for 1,524 rushing yards and 551 receiving yards last year.

Despite his diminutive size at 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, Bernard has also drawn praise from his coaches and teammates for his toughness and ability to pick up the blitz.

“The guy’s tough, man,” former Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said of Bernard last season. “It’s what I saw when we were drafting him. It’s what I saw talking to him. It’s what I saw in how he played the game, how passionate he is about the game. He doesn’t like to make mistakes. He loves to make plays, and it’s important to him.”

USA Today is reporting the extension is worth $15.5 million. Bernard was scheduled to make $1.6 million this season, which means the new deal will pay him north of $6 million per year.

Bernard, who was entering the fourth and final season of his rookie contract, won’t be 25 until November, which means he will only be 28 by the time the extension ends following the 2019 season.

“It’s great to be able to extend our commitment with Gio,” head coach Marvin Lewis said. “It’s all a part of what I keep saying — draft the right players, develop them, and retain them. We’re excited about the great things Gio will continue to add to our offense.”

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