The Cincinnati Bengals’ revamped safety room is getting a little national shine before training camp even opens.
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame put together his ranking of the NFL’s five best safety duos heading into the 2026 season, and Cincinnati came in at No. 5 with Jordan Battle and newly signed Bryan Cook. For a group that looks nothing like it did a year ago, that’s a meaningful nod.
Battle is a big reason the Bengals made the cut. After being used sparingly in his first two seasons, he stepped into a full-time starting role in 2025 and made the most of it. In his first real chance to anchor the secondary, he turned in a breakout year and became a steady presence on the back end.
He played 1,047 snaps, which worked out to 90 percent of the season, and finished with four interceptions and 125 tackles. That kind of production puts him in a strong position heading into a contract year, and it also helps explain why he’s starting to draw more attention as one of the league’s more underrated young defensive backs.
Cook brings a different kind of value. Cincinnati signed the former Kansas City Chiefs safety to a three-year deal this offseason, bringing him back to his hometown after he spent the first part of his career with a team that had plenty of success.
Over four seasons in Kansas City, Cook appeared in 62 regular-season games and picked up two Super Bowl rings. He also posted 13 passes defended and three interceptions over the last three seasons, along with 205 tackles in that span.
The Bengals spent the offseason making moves designed to reshape the roster around Joe Burrow and the offense, and Cook’s addition fits right into that plan. He gives Battle a partner, and the ranking is another sign that the front office’s bet on the position has gotten some outside validation.
If Battle and Cook deliver the way Cincinnati hopes, the Bengals may have finally settled on a safety duo with real stability. Verderame’s ranking says the talent is there. Now the pair has to back it up.
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