Bengals Receive Major Praise for Key Free Agent Additions on Defense

The Cincinnati Bengals came into the offseason with a lot of holes to fill on the defense. They needed to upgrade every level of the defense, especially with Trey Hendrickson leaving town.

The Bengals landed a deal with former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe and Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook. They haven't made any other big moves yet, but these two additions certainly move the team in the right direction. Both Mafe and Cook will sign their contracts on Thursday.

PFF's Mason Cameron recently suggested the Bengals were one of the biggest winners of the early stages of free agency because of their additions of Mafe and Cook.

Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook provide Bengals with two impact defenders

Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) tackles Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols (26) during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

"While Mafe isn’t the same caliber of pass rusher that Hedrickson is — not many are — his overall body of work is consistent. The former Seahawk has earned a 70.3 PFF overall grade in each of the past three seasons while ranking in the 80th percentile in PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets (84.2). As was the case when Hendrickson left New Orleans for Cincinnati in 2021, the hope is that Mafe can take the next step with the Bengals," Cameron wrote. "The addition of Cook bodes well for the Bengals’ aims to improve their backend coverage after the unnit finished dead last in explosive pass percentage allowed in 2025. The former Chief finished as the fourth-highest-graded safety in the NFL this past season (83.5). Cook had grown into being an indispensable leader in Kansas City, taking over coverage checks and getting his guys into the right position, a skill set that should flourish under Al Golden."

Mafe might not be the same caliber of player as Hendrickson, but he's younger and comes with much less drama. There are also some advanced stats, like PFF's grades and Mafe's pass rush win rate, that indicate he's close to a big breakout.

Cook is a Cincinnati native and played for the Bearcats before heading to the NFL. He's a secure tackler with the ability to create splash plays. The Bengals needed a safety as badly as anything and Cook was the perfect option.

These two moves were huge wins for the Bengals, but they need to make a few other additions before they can be tabbed one of the biggest winners of free agency. Cincinnati certainly needs a linebacker, among other positions.

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