The Cincinnati Bengals found some much-needed help for a struggling secondary with their Bryan Cook signing.
While Cook wasn’t one of the big-name stars on the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense during their dynastical run, the safety helped the organization win back-to-back Super Bowls and reach a third during his four years with the club. He emerged as a full-time starter during his sophomore campaign, contributing a total of 238 tackles, 15 pass defenses, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Cook now gets a chance to take his game to the next level in his hometown. The Cincinnati native played three seasons of collegiate ball at the city’s namesake university before he was tapped in Round 2 of the 2022 draft.
It may have only cost the Bengals $40.25 million over three years to sign Cook, but his acquisition has the potential to smooth over many of the defensive woes the squad has faced in recent years.
The Bengals are getting a high IQ safety with strong instincts, solid tackling skills and the ability to cover any position on the field. Versatility is Cook’s best trait, as he is just as capable in run-support as he is in coverage. Cook and Xavier McKinney were the only two safeties in the league last year who earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 80 or higher in both categories.
While Cook alone may not make elevate the Bengals to a surefire Super Bowl contender, his presence will go a long way to getting their defense to play at a respectable level. That’s all Cincinnati needs to make a run if the star-studded offensive core can stay healthy.