The Seattle Seahawks faced some tough choices this offseason. With big-money extensions looming for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon, and other teams eager to overspend on their players, GM John Schneider had to make some strategic moves. One of those was letting Boye Mafe walk.
Mafe, a homegrown talent, had been a reliable contributor off the bench despite losing his starting spot in Aden Durde's defense. His departure is a blow, but one the Seahawks hope to address in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The decision to let Mafe go was straightforward. The Cincinnati Bengals offered him a hefty $60 million over three years-far beyond what the Seahawks were willing to pay for a backup. While it might sting now, Seattle could soon find relief in their draft strategy.
The Bengals’ decision to overpay for Mafe raises eyebrows. Before free agency, Spotrac pegged his market value at around $12.2 million-a figure the Seahawks might have considered. But the Bengals nearly doubled that, a bold move for a player with Mafe's stats.
Last season, Mafe made four starts, recording 31 tackles, four tackles for loss, four QB hits, 2.0 sacks, five passes defensed, and a fumble recovery over 559 snaps. Solid numbers, but not exactly $20 million-a-year material.
Pro Football Focus rated him at 69.2, placing him 46th among 115 edge rushers. His run defense and pass-rush grades were middle-of-the-road, and while he posted the second-most hurries of his career and improved his missed tackle rate, those aren’t game-changing stats.
This isn’t to knock Mafe-he’s a solid player who fulfills his role well. But he’s not the transformative force the Bengals need to revamp their pass-rush. The hefty contract seems like a move made out of necessity rather than strategy.
The Bengals, having lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency, appear uneasy about 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart taking over the pass-rush duties. Last season, they struggled defensively, giving up the third-most points per game and ranking low in total yards allowed and sacks.
Mafe isn’t Hendrickson, and the Bengals might have secured him for less. Only time will tell if this gamble pays off for Cincinnati.