Bengals Deal For Bryan Cook Gets High Grades Following Opening Free Agency Frenzy

 The Bengals added two marquee defensive free agents on Monday in edge rusher Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook.

Grades are flowing out for both three-year deals as Cincinnati gets high marks for addressing its league-worst defense head-on in free agency.

Check out the major grades that have come in for Cook's three-year, $40.25 million deal below:

Sports Illustrated: B+

"The Bengals finally got on the board at the start of legal tampering, landing a hometown safety," Matt Verdarame wrote. "After spending four years and winning two titles with the Chiefs, safety Bryan Cook is going back to where he played college.

"Cook has become a solid safety, starting 46 games over the past three seasons in Kansas City. A versatile piece on the back end, Cook totaled 85 tackles and six passes defensed last year, both career bests. Cook not only played for the Bearcats in college, but was also born in the city. For the Bengals, he’ll immediately improve a secondary in dire need of talent behind a front seven that will get a bevy of new faces before spring is out."

The Athletic: A

"After ranking among the worst in the league on defense, the Bengals have needed to add talent, and they landed a quality and versatile safety in Cook," Mike Jones wrote. "The 27-year-old can play deep centerfield, but also can make plays in the box, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Bengals use the 6-foot-1, 206-pounder."