Boye Mafe has wasted no time making himself indispensable in Cincinnati.
The Bengals brought him in on a three-year, $60 million deal, and after seven weeks it looks like money well spent. In Sunday’s 35-13 win over the Ravens, Mafe kept flashing all over the place as Cincinnati’s defense delivered a second-half shutout, and the performance only strengthened the idea that he’s becoming much more than a steady starter.
The numbers back up the eye test. Mafe now leads the Bengals with 4.5 sacks, edging Dexter Lawrence’s four, and he’s been graded by PFF as the No. 5 edge defender in football.
That puts him ahead of names like Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, Josh Hines-Allen, and plenty of others.
He also ranks third in the league with 23 QB hurries.
Sunday was his best showing yet in a Bengals uniform. Mafe posted a season-high 89.2 PFF defensive grade against Baltimore, piled up five pressures, collected 1.5 sacks, and finished with five tackles without a miss. He was in the backfield constantly, whether he was bothering the quarterback or blowing up a run.
There’s another wrinkle to his game that should matter even more moving forward: usage. Through the first five games, Mafe dropped into coverage on just 16 snaps.
Against the Ravens, he did it 10 times in one game. That kind of flexibility gives defensive coordinator Al Golden more to work with, especially as Cincinnati’s new-look defense keeps settling in.
Golden leaned into more simulated pressure looks when the Bengals were trailing 13-0 at halftime, and there’s still room for the third-down defense to clean things up - it sits 30th. But Mafe’s ability to handle coverage duties gives Golden a real chance to get creative with his personnel.
That could mean more bigger packages, more looks that effectively use Mafe as a third off-ball linebacker, and more opportunities for rookie Cashius Howell or 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart to get true pass-rush snaps. If Cincinnati wants those younger pass rushers to develop, Mafe’s versatility may be the key that opens things up.
And with Dexter Lawrence soaking up attention inside, Mafe’s lane should keep widening. The Bengals have a defender who already looks like a Pro Bowl-caliber force, and if Golden keeps moving him around, it could unlock even more for the entire front.
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The Bengals were already dealing with the fallout from Erick All Jr.s injury when the leagues review of the play brought another layer of frustration. All went down on a hip-drop tackle by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith in Week 7, and Cincinnati later had to put the tight end on injured reserve after he tore his ACL. In response, the Bengals added former Minnesota practice squad tight end Cam Grandy to help fill the gap.
Now comes the part Cincinnati fans probably wont love: the NFL reviewed the tackle and did not fine Smith. For a team that lost a young tight end and had to reshuffle its depth chart almost immediately, the lack of discipline only adds to the sting of a play that already changed the Bengals plans at the position. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Taylor Had The Perfect Reaction To A Trade Bengals Fans Loved
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From Cincinnatis side, the appeal is obvious too. Any time a contender in the AFC loses a disruptive defender off the schedule, it catches the attention of a coach preparing for the next stretch of games. Both brothers had a lighthearted take on the deal ahead of their teams upcoming matchups, and for Bengals fans, the best part may be that their head coach sounded like he appreciated the timing just as much as the rest of them did. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Running Back Search Just Got Much Tougher Than Fans Hoped
The market for running back help just got a lot more complicated, and Cincinnati is watching from the same uncomfortable place as everyone else. Indianapolis has reportedly already turned down a trade offer for Jonathan Taylor that included multiple draft picks, a sign that any team trying to pry him loose is going to have to pay a premium. With the Broncos, Packers, Vikings, Giants and Seahawks all said to be interested, the bidding could turn into exactly the kind of expensive chase the Bengals would rather avoid.
For Cincinnati, the issue is not just need, but price. Taylor would bring name value and upside, but the cost is shaping up to be steep enough that the Bengals are unlikely to jump in. Instead, they may have to look for a more realistic fit on the trade market, with Tony Pollard emerging as the kind of option that better matches their budget and roster priorities. [Read more 🡒]