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When the Cincinnati Bengals opted not to place the franchise tag on Trey Hendrickson, it was clear the team was ready to move on.
Their plan for life after Hendrickson? Boye Mafe.
The 27-year-old former second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 NFL draft agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 9.
Mafe is scheduled to make $20 million per year in Cincinnati. He comes to the Bengals with high expectations.
The reigning Super Bowl champion will be asked to become the new face of Cincinnati’s defensive line.
Mafe registered 20 sacks, 15 quarterback hits and 120 quarterback hurries during his four seasons in Seattle, according to Pro Football Focus.
His production in 2025 wasn’t great as he logged just two sacks in 17 games. The Bengals will need more production from him in this area.
In Mafe’s case, the numbers don’t tell his whole story.
He’s known for being a physical, hard-hitting force at the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t shy away from contact and can make plays in the run game. The Bengals were the NFL's worst defense against the run in 2025 giving up an average of 147 yards per game on the ground.
With Mafe, the Bengals are getting a young, tenacious player who’s looking to take on the responsibilities that come with being an NFL team’s No. 1 pass rusher.
The Bengals will certainly still be adding to their defensive line over the next two months through free agency and the NFL draft.
But as it stands right now, the trio of edge rushers the Bengals will center their pass rush around are Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Mafe.
Seattle’s defense had so many talented players on its historic defense in 2025. Mafe wasn’t the Seahawks’ best edge rusher or even a starter for more than four games, but he was very consistent.
The Bengals haven’t registered more than 36 sacks in each of the last two seasons. In order to improve on defense, they need to put more pressure on their opponents’ quarterbacks.
Mafe is 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds. He recorded two batted passes last season in Seattle.
He’s also a sound tackler, only missing 5.6 percent of his 31 total tackles last season. The Bengals must believe in Mafe's potential.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Here's why Boye Mafe is an exciting fit for the Bengals | Analysis
Continue reading...
Their plan for life after Hendrickson? Boye Mafe.
The 27-year-old former second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 NFL draft agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 9.
Mafe is scheduled to make $20 million per year in Cincinnati. He comes to the Bengals with high expectations.
The reigning Super Bowl champion will be asked to become the new face of Cincinnati’s defensive line.
Mafe registered 20 sacks, 15 quarterback hits and 120 quarterback hurries during his four seasons in Seattle, according to Pro Football Focus.
His production in 2025 wasn’t great as he logged just two sacks in 17 games. The Bengals will need more production from him in this area.
In Mafe’s case, the numbers don’t tell his whole story.
He’s known for being a physical, hard-hitting force at the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t shy away from contact and can make plays in the run game. The Bengals were the NFL's worst defense against the run in 2025 giving up an average of 147 yards per game on the ground.
With Mafe, the Bengals are getting a young, tenacious player who’s looking to take on the responsibilities that come with being an NFL team’s No. 1 pass rusher.
The Bengals will certainly still be adding to their defensive line over the next two months through free agency and the NFL draft.
But as it stands right now, the trio of edge rushers the Bengals will center their pass rush around are Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Mafe.
Seattle’s defense had so many talented players on its historic defense in 2025. Mafe wasn’t the Seahawks’ best edge rusher or even a starter for more than four games, but he was very consistent.
The Bengals haven’t registered more than 36 sacks in each of the last two seasons. In order to improve on defense, they need to put more pressure on their opponents’ quarterbacks.
Mafe is 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds. He recorded two batted passes last season in Seattle.
He’s also a sound tackler, only missing 5.6 percent of his 31 total tackles last season. The Bengals must believe in Mafe's potential.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Here's why Boye Mafe is an exciting fit for the Bengals | Analysis
Continue reading...
