The first day of NFL free agency has been an eventful one, with a former HBCU defender getting a significant payday from a previous playoff foe.
Entering his fifth NFL season, former Howard defensive back Bryan Cook is making the transition to the Cincinnati Bengals, signing a three-year $42 million deal with the team.
Cook began his college career at Howard in 2017, playing two seasons with the Bison before transferring to the University of Cincinnati.
He spent his first four years in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him in the second round in 2022.
The four-year NFL veteran helped contribute to two Super Bowl-winning teams in his first two seasons in the league, making a game-defining play in the AFC Championship game during his rookie year to nudge his team toward victory.
With the game tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter, the former Howard star recorded a pass breakup on a pass downfield, leading to an interception in a crucial moment, helping the Chiefs to their eventual victory.
After being forced to miss Kansas City’s playoff run in 2023, suffering a season-ending ankle injury, Cook established himself as the team’s full-time starter at free safety.
He started all 17 games in each of the last two seasons, including a 2024 campaign in which he recorded 78 tackles and two interceptions.
Cook will join a Cincinnati Bengals team that ranked 30th in scoring defense and 31st in total defense last season.
