Bengals' Mafe Signing: A Defensive Blunder?

0:00On April 6, the Cincinnati Bengals made waves in the 2026 off-season by signing edge-resher boy Amefe from the Seattle Seahawks to a three-year deal worth $60 million. Maf was a backup on Seattle's Super Bowl winning team last year, playing half the snaps and getting just two sacks. Bengals fans hoped this move would fix their leaky defense. Earlier this season, the Bengals ranked 30th in the league defensively, giving up 28.9 points per game, and the most rushing. Yards in the NFL at over 2,500. Maf is a pure pass-resher who struggles against the run, drawing comparisons to cheaper players like the one the Raiders signed for $11 million a year. An anonymous NFL executive called the signing a head scratcher, saying Mafe doesn't measure up and leaves them vulnerable on the ground game. Brown's fans in Ohio are loving it, especially picturing their running backs tearing through Cincinnati again. This highlights how the Bengals star offense with Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase can't carry

1:01them without real defensive help. It's a reminder that a franchise quarterback only goes so far without the right support around him. As the Browns gear up for their 2026 draft, they're eyeing their own quarterback future while watching the Bengals stumble. The AFC North stays wide open when teams like these keep making these moves.