The Bengals spent the offseason trying to fix a defense that finished last year allowing the second-most yards in the NFL, and through two weeks, the early returns look strong. Cincinnati didn’t allow a touchdown in Week 2 against the Houston Texans, and in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the defense forced four turnovers.
A big part of that overhaul was replacing Trey Hendrickson. The former NFL sack-leader ended up with the Baltimore Ravens after he couldn’t work out a contract extension to stay in Cincinnati, a major departure for a player who had been one of the key pieces in the Bengals’ runs to the AFC Championship Game in 2021 and 2022.
The answer on the edge turned out to be Boye Mafe.
Cincinnati moved quickly in free agency to rebuild up front, adding tackle Jonathan Allen before landing Mafe, who had just finished a Super Bowl-winning season with the Seahawks. After the Bengals also acquired Dexter Lawrence in a trade with the Giants, the defensive line looked completely remade, and Mafe was the player expected to step into Hendrickson’s role off the edge.
At the time, Mafe looked like a quiet addition. He had put up modest production last season with two sacks and a forced fumble, but Cincinnati clearly saw more in him. Two games into the year, that bet is paying off.
Mafe has already posted a sack and a forced fumble, and he’s been one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the league. According to PFF, he leads the NFL with 11 QB hurries, ahead of the Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, who has 10.
Hendrickson, by comparison, has eight hurries and one sack so far. Right now, the numbers point to Mafe as the better edge presence.
The Bengals also came out ahead financially. Mafe signed a three-year deal worth $20 million per year, while the Ravens are paying Hendrickson $31 million a year. Mafe is also four years younger, giving Cincinnati more room to believe this move can pay off well beyond the first two weeks.
For a front office that needed this offseason to work, the Hendrickson-to-Mafe swap looks like a sharp piece of business.
In Other News...
Aaron Rodgers Just Put Bengals Pass Rush In Steelers Spotlight
Cincinnatis 2-0 start has come with the kind of defensive edge that can travel, and it was on display again in the win over Houston. Now the Bengals turn their attention to Pittsburgh, where the matchup is already tilting toward their front seven after the Steelers have stumbled through two games on offense and enter a week that looks like a stress test for their blocking.
Aaron Rodgers added to the intrigue by praising Bengals defensive standout Dexter Lawrence ahead of the matchup, a nod to just how disruptive Cincinnati can be when its pass rush is rolling. For a Steelers line already dealing with pressure, that kind of recognition only sharpens the spotlight on what awaits Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Already Have An Answer To Their Joe Burrow Problem
The Bengals are off to a 2-0 start, and Joe Burrow has been a major reason why the offense has looked so sharp out of the gate. Even with the quarterback doing his part, the bigger picture still points to the same old concern in Cincinnati: keeping him clean long enough for the attack to stay on schedule. The offensive line has held up well so far, which has helped ease some of that burden, but the team has also been looking for ways to make Burrows life a little less hectic on obvious passing downs.
One possible answer is already on the roster in Samaje Perine, whose value goes beyond what he does with the ball in his hands. His reputation as a reliable pass blocker makes him a useful option when the Bengals want to give Burrow extra support against pressure, especially in situations where protection matters most. If Cincinnati leans on him more in those spots, it could be a simple way to protect its quarterback without changing the shape of the offense too much. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Nearly Made A Rival AFC North Choice On Defense
When the Bengals went looking for a new defensive coordinator after firing their former one, they did not limit themselves to familiar names inside the building. Zac Taylor brought in Patrick Graham for an interview, a reminder that Cincinnati was weighing a coach with broad NFL experience and a rsum that stretches from the Patriots to the Giants and Raiders before the team ultimately chose Al Golden.
Graham now runs the Steelers defense, which only adds another layer to the AFC North backdrop around the decision. He also brings connections to players such as Maxx Crosby and Dexter Lawrence, and his current job in Pittsburgh gives the Bengals another face to track in a division where coaching moves can matter just as much as personnel ones. The interview itself did not change Cincinnatis hire, but it shows how close the team came to taking a different defensive path inside its biggest rivalry. [Read more 🡒]