Defensive end Boye Mafe signed the largest free agent contract in Cincinnati Bengals history last month. The $20 million average annual value of his three-year, $60 million contract tops every external veteran signed by the club since free agency began in 1993.

Such a large investment was not made without as much information on Mafe as possible.

Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery watched the tape. His input was crucial in identifying the 27-year old as the Bengals’ next edge defender. Defensive coordinator Al Golden and the pro scouting department had their voices heard as well

None of them had the insight senior defensive assistant Sean Desai had on Mafe.

Sean Desai’s past exposure was critical in signing Boye Mafe

Desai joined the Bengals last year after spending the previous four years with four different clubs.

One of them were the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, the same year Mafe was drafted.

Montgomery told Dan Hoard on the Bengals Booth Podcast that Desai’s intel on Mafe from the pre-draft process and his rookie season factored in to Cincinnati targeting the former second-round pick.

“I think it was a group effort,” Montgomery said. “You know, you got Al’s background, myself. Sean Desai was there when they drafted him, so there was a lot of insight into the individual and the kid, from a personality standpoint and a fit. So, yeah, I mean, it was group effort, and then those guys upstairs did the rest.”

Desai saw first-hand as the Seahawks’ associate head coach of the defense how Mafe was integrated as a rookie, and the strides that eventually led to a nine-sack season the following year.

Montgomery mentioning Desai’s insight on Mafe’s personality is another layer that’s worth discussing.

The value of that kind of intel

Signing free agents can be risky as teams make large investments into players they don’t know. The pre-draft process allows for multiple points of contact between prospects and interested teams, and rookie contracts are much more manageable in comparison to veteran deals. When veteran signings don’t work out, it’s often traced back to lack of fit.

Not just from a scheme perspective, but a culture perspective.

Seattle used a premium pick on Mafe when Desai was a part of the process, and clearly believes in the player and person four years later. That should matter when projecting how successful the investment will become.

And if not, then Desai’s name is already attached to it.

Mafe’s price tag was a result of the EDGE market accelerating to a new height. It was not surprising to see the Bengals make their largest investment from an AAV perspective at the position.

Knowing what we know now, it’s also not a surprise Mafe was the one they invested in.