The Cincinnati Bengals’ first big free agent signing this year was at safety. They added former Chiefs safety and Cincinnati Bearcat alum Bryan Cook.
is receiving a three-year $40.25 million contract. That shows a heavy investment in him as the starting safety, paired with Jordan Battle.
While the move on its own doesn’t take the Bengals completely out of picking Downs at 10, there is another reason that it is unlikely Downs will end up in stripes.
That reason still partially has to do with Bryan Cook.
Cook is leaving the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that owns the ninth overall selection in the draft this year. While they did sign Alohi Gilman, they also traded away Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson at cornerback to the Rams in free agency. The latter two players are corners, but there are still glaring issues throughout the Chiefs’ secondary.
Jaden Hicks is a player the Chiefs selected in the 4th round of the 2024 draft. He was barely able to see the field last year for Kansas City. They are unlikely to pass on a player like Caleb Downs because of Alohi Gilman and Jaden Hicks.
Toss in the fact that Kansas City went out and signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III at running back, and it almost certainly means they are not going to be linked to Jeremiyah Love at pick No. 9.
Stranger things have happened on draft day, but the odds of Caleb Downs being a Cincinnati Bengal have drastically decreased after the first day of the free agency tampering period.
The good news is the Bengals now have a proven deep safety to upgrade this defense, whereas Downs is a great prospect but hasn’t done anything yet in the NFL.
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