Boye Mafe dropping into coverage at Bengals training camp is not the confusing mystery some believe it to be
The Cincinnati Bengals opened training camp with new edge defender Boye Mafe drawing some attention with his dropping back into coverage. The reaction has appeared more concerned than optimistic, but it’s not as outlandish as some may think.
The Cincinnati Bengals opened training camp with new edge defender Boye Mafe drawing some attention. The reaction has given off more concern and confusion rather than optimism and intrigue for some.
Mafe, who signed a three-year, $60 million free agent deal in March to be Cincy’s response to losing Trey Hendrickson, has been spending a good amount of practice time dropping back into coverage. He’s even taken reps lined up in the slot as an off-ball linebacker.
It’s sparked plenty of questions from fans and general onlookers. Why would Cincinnati sign a pass rusher to a massive deal, only to deploy him in ways that don’t utilize his biggest strength? There’s a simple answer.
Boye Mafe is doing what 3-4 outside linebackers do
The concern around Mafe is only understandable when you ignore the fundamental truth about what the Bengals defense is, and has been for some time.
Cincinnati runs a 3-4 scheme, and it is fully embracing its EDGEs as 3-4 outside linebackers.
Mafe doesn’t quite look like the traditional Bengals defensive end because he’s not one. He is a 3-4 OLB in this scheme, and he will be used like one. Part of that job description includes occasionally dropping back into coverage. It’s best to be acquainted with that fact sooner rather than later.
Some of what we’re seeing is simply the nature of training camp. The defense rarely subs in and out during certain 11-on-11 periods and has to match whatever the offense presents. They have to match what the offense is doing. It’s not exactly what Sundays are going to look like when formation substitutions are prevalent.
Productive pass rushers can still drop into coverage every now and then
There are dominant pass rushers whose defensive coordinators don’t even bother dropping them into coverage. Myles Garrett did it zero times last season. Will Anderson did it twice. Danielle Hunter did it three times. Micah Parsons did it seven times. Aidan Hutchinson did it nine times.
Keep researching the best in the game, and you’ll find highly productive pass rushers who average a handful of snaps per game in coverage.
Four of the top 10 EDGEs in total pressures generated last season spent plenty of time moving in the opposite direction of the quarterback.
| Player | Pressures | Coverage Snaps |
| Josh Hines-Allen | 100 | 41 |
| Nick Bonitto | 81 | 73 |
| Jaelen Phillips | 76 | 84 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | 75 | 51 |
Coverage snaps have been part of Mafe’s NFL career
This is also not new territory for Mafe. He dropped into coverage 44 times last season in Seattle. During his four years with the Seahawks, he averaged 45 coverage snaps per year.
“I’ve always been the D-lineman, so you know it’s a new world. But I dropped a little bit in Seattle,” Mafe said after Saturday’s light practice in Cincinnati. “I did coverage in Seattle, so I know some things, I actually do know how to drop. I know how to cover, but obviously, they’re used in different ways.”
Hitting around 50 coverage snaps this season would not only be completely manageable, it would be the norm of what he’s accustomed to. The Bengals appear to expect that usage out of him, and his early training camp reps reflect that.
When it matters most, Mafe will rush the passer
When it’s third-and-long and Cincinnati needs a sack, it is highly unlikely Mafe will be doing anything but pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. Barring an exotic look or an exotic blitz designed to get the quarterback completely flustered, the most critical situations will feature Mafe doing what he does best.
Before anyone gets carried away about the Bengals misusing Mafe or wasting his abilities, he is a 3-4 OLB, and he will be used as such. That includes the occasional coverage snap mixed in with the pass rushing.
The data shows it hasn’t stopped other elite EDGE players from producing at a high level. There’s no reason to believe it will stop Mafe either.