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In that two- to three-day window when the Bengals added multiple defensive free agents, one of them was former Seahawks defensive end Boye Mafe.
Mafe signed a three-year, $60 million contract with Cincinnati after spending four years with the Seahawks. He recorded 164 tackles and 20 sacks during his career in Seattle, really breaking out in his second season, when he totaled 52 tackles, 35 solo tackles and nine sacks.
Last season, Mafe had his least productive season in the NFL, recording just 31 tackles and two sacks. He has forced a fumble in each of the past three seasons.
So, what should Bengals fans expect from Mafe? Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 265 pounds, Mafe is a good hybrid of size and speed who can threaten off the edge while also dropping back into coverage at times. He had 14 pass breakups in Seattle, including five last season and six in 2023.
He has had a lot of success using speed and finesse moves, chopping down on offensive tackles’ arms to create space while also showing great bend on film to get into opposing backfields and pressure the passer. He earned a 70.3 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus and a 69.2 pass-rush grade. Mafe recorded 44 pressures last season and 40 quarterback hurries. He ranked sixth on the team in pressures and third in quarterback hurries.
While he didn’t put up the numbers you want to see from a defensive lineman — double-digit sacks or a ton of tackles for loss — Mafe’s presence on film is obvious, and his ability to pressure the quarterback and force incompletions can be a huge difference-maker for the Bengals’ defense this upcoming season.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s position battle article, Mafe being able to play next to or on the same defensive line as Dexter Lawrence can only help him put up numbers, as he still has a lot left in the tank at just 27 years old.
Mafe was on a defensive line with DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams and multiple other solid players last season, as Seattle had one of the best defensive lines in the league and was a major reason it was able to win the Super Bowl.
Mafe is now in a spot with the Bengals where he can separate himself from players like Cassius Howell, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy and others to become a figurehead on the Bengals’ defensive line.
Continue reading...
Mafe signed a three-year, $60 million contract with Cincinnati after spending four years with the Seahawks. He recorded 164 tackles and 20 sacks during his career in Seattle, really breaking out in his second season, when he totaled 52 tackles, 35 solo tackles and nine sacks.
Last season, Mafe had his least productive season in the NFL, recording just 31 tackles and two sacks. He has forced a fumble in each of the past three seasons.
So, what should Bengals fans expect from Mafe? Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 265 pounds, Mafe is a good hybrid of size and speed who can threaten off the edge while also dropping back into coverage at times. He had 14 pass breakups in Seattle, including five last season and six in 2023.
Boye Mafe on what he will bring to the Bengalspic.twitter.com/Bc4KCXtkHL
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) March 12, 2026
He has had a lot of success using speed and finesse moves, chopping down on offensive tackles’ arms to create space while also showing great bend on film to get into opposing backfields and pressure the passer. He earned a 70.3 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus and a 69.2 pass-rush grade. Mafe recorded 44 pressures last season and 40 quarterback hurries. He ranked sixth on the team in pressures and third in quarterback hurries.
While he didn’t put up the numbers you want to see from a defensive lineman — double-digit sacks or a ton of tackles for loss — Mafe’s presence on film is obvious, and his ability to pressure the quarterback and force incompletions can be a huge difference-maker for the Bengals’ defense this upcoming season.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s position battle article, Mafe being able to play next to or on the same defensive line as Dexter Lawrence can only help him put up numbers, as he still has a lot left in the tank at just 27 years old.
Mafe was on a defensive line with DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams and multiple other solid players last season, as Seattle had one of the best defensive lines in the league and was a major reason it was able to win the Super Bowl.
Mafe is now in a spot with the Bengals where he can separate himself from players like Cassius Howell, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy and others to become a figurehead on the Bengals’ defensive line.
Continue reading...
