The 2026 NFL season is quickly approaching as the Cincinnati Bengals look to show off several new additions on defense this fall. Featuring players like Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe, it’s actually one of the safeties the team signed this offseason that is getting some praise from one defensive starter.
Jordan Battle is entering his fourth season with the franchise, and in a recent interview with the Bengals Booth Podcast, he talked about the addition of Bryan Cook and the game-changer
he could be for the defense this coming season.
“He was very quiet at first, but, you see, he’s trying to just be more open, talking to us, showing us personality a little more,” Battle said on the podcast. “Obviously, on the field, (he’s) a playmaker, a guy who wants to get better every day, just trying to find ways, within the defense, to make it easier for us.
“(He’s) always asking questions to the coaches to see if there are things you can implement to make things a little easier and have more confidence going onto the field.”
Cook comes to the Queen City after a solid four years in Kansas City that included two championships. Now, he will look to bring those Super Bowl-winning ways to the Bengals’ defense.
How much of a jump this unit makes will largely be determined by how well Cook holds up in the back-end of a defense that’s given up far too many big plays since losing Jessie Bates.
