CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals have signed kicker Shayne Graham to a one-year contract.

The Bengals said Thursday that Graham exercised his option to sign for one year at a salary equal to the average of the top five place kickers in the NFL in 2008.

Graham became a free agent after last season and was designated the team's franchise player in February.

The 6-foot, 205-pound kicker is entering his seventh Bengals season and his field-goal accuracy of 85.6 percent ranks him all-time fourth in the NFL.

Head coach Marvin Lewis says the signing doesn't preclude the team from talking to Graham about a longer-term agreement.

Graham holds the team record for field goals in a season with 31. €