Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we will be taking a look at the Bengals roster position by position. We will finish with the specialists.

Returning players: Evan McPherson (K), Ryan Rehkow (P), William Wagner (LS)

Position coaches: Darrin Simmons, Ben Jacobs

2025 Review

Evan McPherson played all 17 games in 2025 after missing the last five games of 2024 with a right groin injury. McPherson hit 25 of 28 field goals and 41 of 44 extra points this past season and was a perfect 20-for-20 on field goals inside 50 yards. He hit a Bengals record 63-yard field goal in Week 12 against the New England Patriots and won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13 after hitting all six of his field goal attempts on Thanksgiving in Baltimore against the Ravens. A fifth-round pick out of Florida in 2021, McPherson ranks third in franchise history in field goal percentage (83.2%).

Ryan Rehkow has played in all 34 games since signing with the team as a free agent in July of 2024. Through two seasons, he owns Bengals records for career gross punting average (49.89 yards) and net punting average (42.91 yards). He set the team record for single season gross average in 2025 with 50.54 yards per punt and ranked second in the NFL. Rehkow has been McPherson's holder since signing with the team in 2024 as well.

William Wagner won the long-snapping competition in the 2025 offseason, beating out Cal Adomitis for the starting job. The trio of McPherson, Rehkow and Wagner seemed to gel right away, and the stats back it up: The Bengals posted a 90.7 PFF special teams grade, tied for the fourth highest in the NFL.

"We haven't had to think about the snap all year," Rehkow said before the season finale in January. "I think I'm definitely getting better at holding, but Will has done a really good job stepping in and doing everything we've asked."

Wagner started in 53 games at the University of Michigan, playing under head coach Jim Harbaugh and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh. He was a finalist for the nation's top long snapper award, the Patrick Manelly Award, in 2024.

2026 Outlook

Cincinnati enters 2026 returning all three core players in its specialist unit, as McPherson, Rehkow and Wagner enter their second season together. More reps together should only lead to increased production of an already great unit.

Previous positions: **QB** | **RB** | **WR** | **TE** | **OL** | **DT** | **DE** | **LB** | DB