Cincinnati Bengals Under Fire for Bold $60 Million Offseason Signing

The Cincinnati Bengals came into the offseason in desperate need of adding to their defense. A unit that's been so bad over the last few years that the offense hasn't been able to carry the team back to the Super Bowl.

The Bengals made a trio of notable additions to the defense early in free agency by signing Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Jonathan Allen. They made a few other moves later in the offseason, too.

Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport recently listed the Bengals' decision to give Mafe $60 million over three years as one of the worst moves of the offseason.

Bengals Under Fire for Boye Mafe Signing

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is pressured by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2026 offseason desperate to upgrade a pass rush that managed just 35 sacks in 2025," Davenport wrote. "That desperation was magnified by the fact that there was zero chance edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson was going to return to the team. Sometimes desperation pushes NFL teams into questionable moves, such as giving edge-rusher Boye Mafe $20 million per season over three years.

"Bengals assistant coach Sean Desai was in Seattle when the Seahawks drafted Mafe in 2022, and defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery told reporters the whole staff was sold on Mafe's ability to help Cincy turn the pass rush around. However, this could be a case of the Bengals seeing what they wanted to see—a team hoping Mafe could recapture the form that saw him post nine sacks back in 2023. But he had just eight sacks over the past two seasons combined and played his fewest snaps in 2025 since his rookie year."

Mafe isn't going to replace the production of Trey Hendrickson. There are few players around the league who can replicate that kind of production.

But the Bengals needed to add somebody. They couldn't sit by and watch all the other edge rushers sign in free agency without landing an impact player of their own. $20 million per year might be a bit steep for Mafe, but he should bring a lot of production to the Queen City for the next three seasons.

Boye Mafe Has Chance To Prove Doubters Wrong

Bengals defensive end Boye Mafe speaks to the media during a press conference at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 12, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mafe has a chance to prove the doubters wrong in 2026. He only recorded a few sacks last year, but he ranked near the top of his position group in pass rush win rate, batted passes, and quarterback hurries. He was doing his job of winning at the line of scrimmage, but wasn't able to finish too many of them into sacks.

He's the perfect breakout player for the Bengals. He could threaten a double-digit sack season in each of the three years he's with Cincinnati if he puts the pieces together.

Quality edge rushers never come cheap. The Bengals needed to add one. Mafe is a solid addition and shouldn't be considered one of the worst signings of the offseason.

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