The Cincinnati Bengals have been trying to replace Jessie Bates III ever since he left for free agency in after the 2022 season. They started with Dax Hill and Nick Scott, which was a disaster, and then they went to Geno Stone, which wasn’t much better.
On Monday, they added the newest name on the list of free agent safeties signed by the Bengals’ front office by inking Bryan Cook, the former Bearcats and Chiefs defensive back. Now the specifics on the contract have been released.
According to Spotrac, the Bengals signed Cook to a three-year deal worth a total of $40,250,000, which includes $14 million guaranteed. In 2026, he’ll earn a base salary of $3.4 million with a roster bonus of $14 million and a $100,000 workout bonus. He’ll also carry $14 million in dead cap space this season if released. However, the Bengals have written themselves an early out, with no dead cap space in ‘27 or ‘28.
In 2027, he’ll have a base salary of $6.05 million and a roster bonus of $4 million, and in 2028, his base salary will be $10 million with a roster bonus of $1 million. He’ll have a $100,000 workout bonus in each of those two years as well.
Cook’s $18 million cap hit makes him the safety with the ninth-highest cap hit, and his annual average of just over $13 million puts him around No. 12 for safeties in the NFL.
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