Grading the Cincinnati Bengals' Signing of former Kansas City Chiefs Safety Bryan Cook

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals are plugging a hole with a couple of Super Bowl rings.

After tapping out on the escalating bidding for defensive tackle John Franklin-Meyers earlier today, the Bengals pivoted to their focus to safety and agreed to terms with two-time Super Bowl champ and Cincinnati native Bryan Cook, per multiple sources.

The deal for the former Kansas City Chiefs safety is worth a reported $40.25 million over three years, making Cook the 13th highest paid player at the position in teams of AAV – and the richest safety in Cincinnati history as the team tries to erase the stain of the last three years that saw Bengals safeties lead the NFL in missed tackles by a wide margin.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin was asked at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month if the positional value for safeties has changed.

“If you can find a difference-maker, it doesn’t matter what the position is behind his name,” Tobin said. “There’s definitely been difference-making safeties. There have been difference-making guards. The positions that are typically undervalued in free agency or whatever, there have been difference makers.

“And if you can find a difference maker that can elevate your football team, I think you do that,” he added.

The Bengals obviously view Cook, who grew up in Cincinnati and played for Mount Healthy High School and the University of Cincinnati, as a difference maker.

Cincinnati safeties missed 104 tackles from 2023-2025, nearly 24 percent more than the next worst group, the Raiders (84).

Cook’s 15 missed tackles during the last three seasons rank tied for 57th most among safeties (former Bengal Geno Stone leads the way with 50, while current safety Jordan Battle is sixth with 31).

Plugging a gaping hole with a couple of Super Bowl rings.

Missed tackles by safeties the last 3 seasons:
Bengals 104
Raiders 84
Vikings 81
Rams 79
Texans 75

Missed tackle pct. by safeties the last 3 seasons:
Bengals 12.1
Texans 11.6
Raiders 11.5
Dolphins 11.0
Saints 10.9 https://t.co/5sQJmoF3sB
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) March 9, 2026

Among safeties with at least 30 starts since 2023, Cook’s missed tackle percentage of 6.9 is tied with Derwin James for ninth best in the NFL – better than 2026 free agents Kam Curl (7.6), Jaquan Brisker (7.8) and Nick Cross (8.7) and Kyle Dugger (9.7), as well as former Bengals Jessie Bates (7.5).

Cook has started 46 games the last three season – tied for 10th most among safeties – with 15 passes defended, interceptions and 238 tackles.

Here is where he has lined up for the Chiefs during his three years as a starter:

2025

Free Safety (478 snaps)

Box (258)

Slot corner (102)

Defensive line (15)

Wide corner (4)

2024

Free safety (628)

Box (322)

Slot corner (133)

Defensive line (16)

Wide corner (2)

2023

Free safety (406)

Slot corner (110)

Box (55)

Defensive line (10)

Wide corner (10)

Bryan Cook's Sure Tackling Can Help Elevate the Entire Bengals Defense

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Cook in the 2022 second round at No. 62 overall, two picks after the Bengals selected Cam Taylor-Britt – and two picks before the Denver Broncos took edge rusher Nik Bonitto.

While Battle is among the league leaders in tackles the last three years, defensive coordinator Al Golden praised his improvement during the second half of the season.

Pairing him with Cook should only help Battle’s progress remain on a positive trajectory.

The Bengals still have major needs on the defensive line and could use a veteran linebacker to pair with 2025 rookies Demetrious Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter.

But the Cook signing is a big, and important, first step in fixing a defense that cost the Bengals a chance to return to the postseason last year in spite of Joe Burrow’s injury.

It’s a big contract and a tone setter, but not so much so that it won’t prevent them from taking over big swings this week (or today).

Grade: A