The Seattle Seahawks continue to lose key pieces of their championship roster as edge rusher Boye Mafe heads to Cincinnati on a three-year, $60 million deal
The Seattle Seahawks’ championship roster is continuing to scatter across the league. Edge rusher Boye Mafe has agreed to a three-year contract worth $60 million with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to multiple reports, becoming the latest key contributor from Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning team to find a new home on Monday. Mafe’s agent confirmed the agreement, which gives the Bengals an experienced and proven pass rusher at a moment when their defensive edge is in significant flux.
Four productive years in Seattle
Mafe entered the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft and spent his entire four-year NFL career with the Seahawks before this move. Over 65 regular season appearances he recorded 164 tackles, 20 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries — a production line that established him as one of the more consistent edge contributors in the NFC. He also appeared in four playoff games, registering seven tackles in the postseason, five of which came during Seattle’s championship run this past season.
His journey from mid-round pick to $60 million free agent is a testament to steady development rather than a single breakout moment. Mafe was never the most hyped pass rusher in Seattle’s defensive system, but he showed up reliably, held his ground against the run and delivered pressure on a defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season. That kind of consistent performance tends to find its market when free agency opens, and the Bengals moved decisively to make him theirs.
Cincinnati needed this badly
The timing of Mafe’s arrival in Cincinnati is not incidental — it is urgent. The Bengals are navigating a significant reshaping of their defensive front heading into the new season. Trey Hendrickson, one of the premier pass rushers in the AFC over the past several seasons, is widely expected to depart in free agency. Fellow edge rusher Joseph Ossai also agreed to join the New York Jets on Monday, leaving Cincinnati with a suddenly thin and unproven group on the edge of its defense.
Mafe steps directly into that void. At 26 and coming off a Super Bowl season, he gives defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo a legitimate starter who has played meaningful football in high-stakes situations. His ability to set the edge against the run while also generating pressure as a pass rusher makes him a genuine two-way contributor rather than a situational specialist — exactly the profile Cincinnati needs to replace what it is losing.
A broader exodus from Seattle
Mafe’s departure is the third significant loss the Seahawks have absorbed from their championship roster in a single day. Running back Kenneth Walker agreed to join the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year, $45 million contract, and safety Coby Bryant signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Chicago Bears. Together, the three departures represent a meaningful drain on the core group that delivered Seattle its most recent Super Bowl title.
The Seahawks did manage to retain cornerback Josh Jobe, who agreed to re-sign with the team on Monday, but the day’s overall ledger was a difficult one for a franchise watching its championship pieces disperse across the league.
For the Bengals, the acquisition of Mafe sends a clear message. Cincinnati has championship ambitions of its own, and building a credible pass rush has been central to those plans for several offseasons. Mafe gives them a proven, motivated edge rusher with something to prove on a new stage — which is often the most dangerous kind.
Source: Yahoo Sports / Josh Alper