Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals made an addition to its defense
The NFL’s legal tampering period kicked off today, and the Cincinnati Bengals took their time making its first move as the team did not agree to a signing during the initial wave. However, the team finally made a splash move as they signed one of the top defensive backs available on the open market.
Additionally, the signing helps Cincinnati as it weakens the secondary of the Kansas City Chiefs, who will lose a player that started 34 games for them over the past two seasons. More importantly, Cincinnati will add much-needed help to their defense that allowed the third-most points during the 2025 NFL season.
Cincinnati Bengals Sign Bryan Cook
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Cincinnati Bengals are signing former Chiefs safety Bryan Cook to a three-year, $40.25 million deal.The Bengals had been previously linked to Cook heading into free agency, as recent transactions around the NFL indicated that the Bengals could afford the price range that was being given out to the top available safeties.
Regarding the signing,Sports Illustrated’s Russell Heltman wrote, “Cook figures to immediately slot into a starting role with the Bengals after playing great football in Kansas City over the past four years. The new deal makes him the NFL’s 13th-highest-paid safety by average annual value.”
Cook could be considered a bargain after his strong 2025 season.Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best safety in the NFL last season. Heading into free agency, Cook was ranked as the No. 37 free agent availableby The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. Popper wrote,“Cook is a two-way safety who can play in the deep part of the field and closer to the line of scrimmage. He has a complete skill set: consistent eyes in zone, a deep-field presence, run-and-hit ability in the alley, physicality and a quick trigger on screens and swings. Cook will deliver the boom on tight-window throws over the middle. Though he played mostly as a deep-field safety in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defense, he has the potential to do more, particularly as a blitzer.”
Hometown Reunion for Cook
Additionally, Cook signing with the Bengals made sense for reasons that have nothing to do with football. Prior to free agency, Sports Illustrated’s James Rapien noted that his signing would be a hometown reunion for Cook. Rapiensaid, “Cook attended Mt. Healthy High School in Cincinnati, before becoming a Bearcat and helping the University of Cincinnati make the College Football Playoff in 2021.”
After the signing, Russell Heltman added, “Cook was a featured part of the 2021 Cincinnati Bearcats Football College Football Playoff run. Now he’ll try to win more in his hometown. Cook and Jordan Battle both played a majority of their snaps at free safety last season.”
Meanwhile, for the Bengals the move was a no-brainer, as they have struggled to find a player of Cook’s caliber at the position.
Cook is the first big name the Bengals have added during this year’s free agency period, but with plenty of cap space available, the team will have a chance of adding several playmakers on defense.