Bryan Cook got some respect in ESPN’s latest sourced safety rankings, but not enough to crack the top 10 - or even the honorable mention group.
Jeremy Fowler’s annual list, built from votes from coaches, scouts and executives around the league, included the new Bengals safety among the 27 players who drew consideration. Still, Cook was left outside the main ranking despite what he put on tape in 2025.
Fowler also laid out why these positional lists can get messy. Modern safeties are being used all over the field, and teams are leaning more heavily on bigger bodies in the slot and around the line of scrimmage.
He pointed to Baltimore’s No. 1-ranked player at the position and Seattle’s rookie as examples of how that trend is changing the way voters sort these players. The Eagles’ Cooper DeJean was another case of the position blur, with his votes landing in the cornerback pool instead of safety.
That context may explain the confusion, but it doesn’t make Cook’s omission look any better.
The former Kansas City Chief and Cincinnati native had a strong 2025 season by the numbers. He posted an 83.5 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranked fourth among safeties who played at least 600 snaps.
His missed tackle rate was 5.6%, the seventh-lowest in that same group. He also allowed just 8.7 yards per catch on completions in his area, sixth-best among those safeties, and finished with six pass breakups, tied for fifth.
By any reasonable read, that looks like a player who belonged at least on the honorable mention list. Instead, Cook is getting the kind of slight that can linger in a locker room, especially for a Bengals defense looking for fuel.
The simplest explanation is that voters want to see Cook do it again. Fowler’s list reflects 2025 as a breakout year for him, and it was the first time in his career he cleared a 66-plus PFF grade.
Cook has already made a positive impression in Cincinnati, and he’ll be fully suited up for training camp in less than two weeks.
“We all come from different walks of life. We're coming here to try to find a common goal, and how much that grows together means more than anything,” Cook said this offseason.
In Other News...
Joe Flacco Had A Telling Reaction To That Bengals Trade
Joe Flaccos stop in Cincinnati was one of the more unusual midseason quarterback detours of the 2023 NFL season, and the Netflix documentary Quarterback gives a clearer look at how quickly he embraced it. After Joe Burrows injury opened the door, the Browns sent Flacco to the Bengals, and the veteran was shown reacting positively to the move before settling in as a starter almost immediately.
Flaccos time with Cincinnati became a useful bridge for a team scrambling to stay afloat, and he handled the transition well before eventually sliding back into a backup role once Burrow returned. The Bengals saw enough to bring him back this offseason, a reminder that even a brief run can leave a lasting impression when a quarterback steps in and gives a team stability in a difficult stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow Trade Talk Just Put A Stunning Price On Cincinnatis Future
Any conversation about Joe Burrow leaving Cincinnati is still firmly in the hypothetical stage, but ESPNs Bill Barnwell put a striking number on what the Bengals would be dealing with if it ever got there. His valuation leans on the kind of market-setting blockbuster that sent Deshaun Watson to Cleveland, a reminder that elite quarterbacks can reshape a franchises future in one move, for better or worse.
For the Bengals, the takeaway is less about a real trade rumor and more about just how much leverage a quarterback of Burrows caliber would carry if the situation ever turned sour. Barnwells framework suggests the discussion would not be limited to a standard first-round package, which is part of what makes the idea so jarring for Cincinnati fans, even with no official indication that anything is brewing. [Read more 🡒]
Amarius Mims Is Giving Bengals Rare Hope Up Front
Amarius Mims gave the Bengals something they have not always had up front: a young tackle showing real year-to-year growth. The starting right tackle looked noticeably better in his second season, with his pass protection and run blocking both taking a step forward, and that matters for a team that has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize the edges of its offensive line.
Mims is now entering the third year of his rookie contract, and the Bengals are positioned to keep building around him with the same offensive line coach and veteran teammates in place. If he keeps playing at this level, the upside is obvious, because the kind of development he showed this year puts him on a path that could eventually put him among the leagues best at his position. [Read more 🡒]