Bengals Sign Cook from Chiefs, Add Mafe; Chiefs Get Gilman

Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook agreed to a three-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the NFL free agency period as the league year opens Wednesday. The deal, valued at approximately $42 million, brings the 26-year-old Ohio native back to his hometown after four seasons with the Chiefs, who selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati.

Cook's departure represents the latest loss for Kansas City's secondary, following cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson's moves to the Los Angeles Rams. The group, known as the "Fab Five" for the five defensive backs drafted by the Chiefs in 2022, contributed to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Over 47 games with Kansas City, Cook recorded 238 tackles, 15 passes defensed and three interceptions. His 2025 season was his strongest yet, with 85 tackles and six passes defensed in 17 starts, helping anchor a Chiefs defense that ranked sixth in the league by allowing 19.3 points per game.

For the Bengals, Cook fills a critical gap at safety amid efforts to overhaul a defense that struggled last season, finishing 31st...