ESPN’s deep dive analysis paints a clear picture about how the Bengals attacked NFL free agency
Recent history says the Cincinnati Bengals spent their money wisely this month.
Going big in free agency can be very risky. The Cincinnati Bengals have had their share of whiffs since they started legitimately investing in the open market at the start of the 2020s, but without doing so, they wouldn’t have their best two-year run in franchise history from 2021-22.
It’s not about making the most eye-opening moves, but the smartest moves that nets a positive return on investment.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell did a deep dive into 10 years of free agent signings ranging from 2013-2022. He graded every one of the top 50 free agent signings from each of those 10 years on a scale of 0-6 where 0 is a player who “provides negligible or even negative value,” and a 6 is a player who is an “All-Pro-caliber superstar.”
The majority of his grades ended up as a 2, which equates to a “player who disappoints.” Any grade from 3-6 was considered a successful outcome.
The most successful positions that were acquired on the open market, however, included all three positions the Bengals successfully targeted this month.
ESPN study validates Bengals’ free agency spending
Barnwell’s grading system concluded safety and defensive tackle, respectively, as the positions with the highest success level average and success rate. EDGE ended up with the fourth-highest success level average, and the sixth-highest success rate.
Cincinnati’s big three free agent signings this year were S Bryan Cook, DE Boye Mafe, and DT Jonathan Allen. The data points to the Bengals identifying the right positions to invest real free agency dollars.
Cincinnati knew it was going to target a quality safety this year after two years of Geno Stone starting for the team. Stone himself was a free agent signing back in 2024, and was obviously not a successful one. Cook is being paid a lot more than Stone ever was, and figures to be an upgrade.
Finding a Trey Hendrickson replacement was also on the docket, and that’s where Mafe comes in. Hendrickson ended up as one of the best free agent signings in recent memory and qualified as a 6 in Barnwell’s grading. The Bengals hope Mafe gets even close to that level of success.
Allen is the second DT Cincinnati has signed since 2024, when Sheldon Rankins was thought to be the answer. Rankins unfortunately didn’t pan out for a multitude of reasons including contracting viral meningitis and was cut last offseason.
As Barnwell’s grading notes, far from every signing works out. Stone and Rankins specifically were misses for the Bengals, but re-investing in those positions appears to be wise moves, as well as another big contract for an EDGE in Mafe.
Cincinnati Bengals News
Joe Flacco sends a harsh message to NFL teams who forgot about him during free agency after re-signing with the Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals officially have a motivated backup quarterback for Joe Burrow.
