For years, the Cincinnati Bengals were the polar opposite of the Cleveland Browns. They had an explosive, star-studded offense and a mediocre defense. Of course, given the offense-driven nature of today's NFL, that's led to more success than the Browns.
That's why watching them finally address their glaring defensive needs should sound the alarms in Berea. Joe Burrow is still objectively elite, and having him play with a defense that can actually keep offenses off the field is a scary thought for the league as a whole.
The Bengals agreed to terms with a couple of Super Bowl champions in the early hours of the free agency period, locking up former Kansas City Chiefs star safety Bryan Cook and ex-Seattle Seahawks pass rusher Boye Mafe. Needless to say, that will only put more pressure on whoever Todd Monken chooses as his starting quarterback.
The Bengals' defensive surge puts more pressure on the Browns' QB situation
The Bengals committed just over $100 million on two players to bolster their defense. Cook got a three-year, $42.5 million deal, while Mafe got $60 million over three years. That's a new approach for a team that had historically neglected the defense in favor of adding firepower to the other side of the field.
While not a superstar, Mafe will get another opportunity to be a starter after leaving the Seahawks' star-studded defense. Per ESPN, he ranked eighth in pass-rush win rate last season (18.7 percent), and he's logged a 17.3 percent pass-rush win rate over the past three years. Despite playing just 559 snaps, he had 40 total pressures, including 36 hurries, two QB hits, and two sacks, per Pro Football Focus.
Cook, on the other hand, has blossomed into a legitimate superstar. His ability to dominate in the box while also being a shutdown defensive player in coverage made him the jack-of-all-trades for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. He's the type of dynamic, hybrid safety that can wreck everything on defense. Pro Football Focus gave him the fourth-highest grade at his position (83.5), and he logged 17 run stops, six pass breakups, and 64 solo tackles.
The Bengals used to be the team everybody in the AFC North knew could be beaten in a shootout. Yes, they could put up points with the best of them, but their inability to keep offenses off the end zone came back to haunt them week in and week out. That may not be the case next season.
The Browns have yet to make a decision about their quarterback situation. As things stand now, it looks like Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will engage in a two-man race for the spot, but they might also look to add a rookie or cheap veteran.
The AFC North just got much tougher with Maxx Crosby's arrival, and new Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter is a well-known defensive specialist. The Pittsburgh Steelers have T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, and the Browns will now have to endure six old-school, physical, defensive matchups a season.
That also puts even more pressure on Andrew Berry to get things right in the offensive line department. Adding Zion Johnson and Tytus Howard was the first couple of steps, but they also need to find someone to take care of blindside protection duties, and he's going to be in for an absolutely brutal battle with these strong pass rushers.
The Browns revamped their coaching staff with Todd Monken's arrival. He's an offensive guru with a proven track record of success, and he looks like the right guy to fix this offense once and for all. Still, with the rest of the division getting stronger, he might be looking at an uphill challenge with this underwhelming quarterback room.