Bengals Under Fire for 'Bad' Free Agency Signing

The Cincinnati Bengals have underperformed for the last few seasons, so their front office opted to take the initiative and went all in this offseason.

They made a monster trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who's one of the best defensive linemen in the game right now. They also added players like Bryan Cook, Boye Mafe, and Jonathan Allen, among others.

Still, there are doubters who aren't sure if all of these moves are going to be the best for the Bengals.

Daniel Mader of Sporting News recently listed Cook as one of the most overpaid players in the league by listing him as the safety on his "All-Overpaid Team" heading into the 2026 season.

Bryan Cook Deal Could Still Prove to be a Steal for Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals punter Bryan Cook (6) runs the ball during minicamp, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"The Bengals saw something they liked in Bryan Cook in this past free-agent cycle, signing him to a $40.25 million deal," Mader wrote. "Cook's pedigree from four years with the Chiefs may be strong, but he also hasn't done much to justify becoming one of the NFL's higher-paid safeties.

"Most of the highest-paid safeties in the league, like Antoine Winfield Jr., Kyle Hamilton and Jessie Bates III, are well-regarded because they're true difference-makers in a secondary, whether due to versatility or a knack for big plays. Cook isn't quite making as much as those names, but he is making a lot for a player with three interceptions, 15 passes defended and one sack over four NFL seasons."

Instant Analysis

Cook signed for over $40 million with the Bengals this offseason, but he could quickly prove to be the difference maker in the secondary that Cincinnati needs. Their defense has been one of the worst units in the league for the last few seasons.

The veteran defensive back has been a weapon for the Kansas City Chiefs over the last few seasons. He's a sure tackler with the ability to make splash plays on occasion, too. The Bengals have struggled to wrap up and bring ball carriers to the ground, so adding a player like Cook is exactly what they needed.

Joe Burrow's Reaction

It's safe to say Joe Burrow is pleased with the Cook signing. He praise the veteran safety multiple times this offseason.

"I'm really excited about the moves we made this offseason," Burrow said in May. "We need to get better, so it was exciting to see the initiative from everybody in the organization to realize that we're in this exciting stage. We're in our primes playing great football. Finding guys like Dexter and Bryan Cook ... to, you know, really solidify that defense so the young guys can also kind of rise up. We're really going to try to achieve what we want to achieve."

If Cook can contribute to turning the Bengals' defense into a respectable unit, it's going to be tough to call him overpaid.

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