Chris Boswell’s contract seems to be just right after the recent kicker deals, just like his kicks

The Cleveland Browns have probably made the Pittsburgh Steelers even happier to have Chris Boswell. Pittsburgh’s rivals in the AFC North just signed kicker Dustin Hopkins to three years and $15.9 million, which is more than Boswell’s. Boswell is playing through a four-year, $20 million extension, which is an average of $300,000 less per year than Hopkins’ new contract.

Although you have to factor in the raise, the Steelers’ deal with Boswell is still a good deal. After the Hopkins deal, he is now the ninth highest paid kicker, with almost everyone signing after him in 2022. I notice that he is more accurate than everyone else except Justin Tucker.

Boswell has the sixth-best field goal percentage of all time at 87.2 percent during his nine years with the Steelers. However, two of the kickers who earn more per year than him signed earlier or as restricted free agents.

The fact is, however, that the Steelers continue to get good value for their money with Boswell’s contract. They may be paying at the top end of the market, but they get what they pay for. Considering how many contracts don’t age so well, that’s something to be acknowledged.

Dustin Hopkins, for example, ranks 17th all-time with a field goal percentage of 85.8 percent. He is coming off his best season at age 33, when he made 33 of 36 and 8 of 8 of 50-plus shots. The year before, he made 30 of 34, but only 2 of 5 of 50-plus shots. Before that, however, his average was mostly below 84 percent, something Chris Boswell only managed twice.

Of course, Boswell’s two bad years were pretty bad, and he almost lost his job in 2018. He completed just 13 of 20 passes that year, and he’s struggled in 2022 as well. Injuries played a role, but he ultimately completed 20 of 28 passes for the Steelers that year.

But Boswell also has a 90 percent or better shooting percentage in six of nine NFL seasons, including last season. In 2023, he made 29 of 31 throws for the Steelers, including 6 of 7 from over 50 yards. One of his missed shots came from 61 yards after a successful attempt from 56 yards was negated by an incorrect offside decision.

It’s true that kickers get better over time, and some of those higher up the pay scale than him are close to his career average and have a good chance of overtaking him if they keep going like this. Guys like Jake Elliott, Ka’imi Fairbairn and Matt Gay are within striking distance.

But as the Steelers reminded us this offseason, stability alone is worth the investment. They finally signed a good punter, signing Cameron Johnston for $3 million per season. They even briefly made Boswell the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, the first to make $5 million per season.

That quickly changed when the Ravens signed Justin Tucker later in the offseason, and seven more followed. But the Steelers still have Boswell under contract for the next three years, with a salary cap hit of under $5 million. As long as he stays healthy, that’s nothing to be mad about.