The Green Bay Packers signed kicker Mason Crosby to a four-year contract extension Tuesday, according to Fox Sports' Peter Schrager. Crosby was just one member of a thin group of kickers set to hit the open market this offseason, and the Packers didn't want to take a chance at being left without someone they can trust.
Crosby's new deal is worth $16.1 million, averaging out to a little more than $4 million per season, and comes with a $5 million signing bonus according to reports. If Green Bay had elected to give him its franchise tag for 2016, he would have been owed $4.57 million. Crosby had a cap hit of $3.55 million last season.
Crosby has been with the Packers for nine seasons, and played out a full five-year, $14.75 million contract he signed in 2011. He restructured his contract with the team in 2013, but largely got paid what the Packers initially offered and has been consistently strong for them in recent years.
Crosby has never missed a game, and aside from a poor 2012 season, his field goal percentage has been excellent. Last year, Crosby converted on 24 of 28 field goal attempts, including 8 of 11 from 40-49 yards and 4 of 5 from 50-plus.
Crosby has a career field goal percentage of 79.7 and has one of the biggest legs in the league. After Justin Tucker was tagged by the Baltimore Ravens, Crosby would have been the top kicker on the market, aside from Adam Vinatieri and Phil Dawson, both of whom are over 40 years of age.