Bengals To Sign DE Boye Mafe
The Bengals are adding former Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe, agent Mike McCartney announced. Mafe will sign a three-year, $60MM contract, insider Jordan Schultz relays.
Cincinnati’s pass rush took a hit when defensive end Joseph Ossai agreed to sign with the Jets on Monday. The Bengals are also expected to lose their best D-end, Trey Hendrickson, to free agency. At least one outside pass-rushing addition became a necessity for the Bengals, whose defense was among the NFL’s worst in 2025. The unit ranked 26th in sacks, 30th in scoring and 31st in total defense.
Mafe has not posted Hendrickson-like production (few have), but he should at least serve as a credible Ossai replacement. The four-year veteran has 20 career sacks over 65 games (34 starts). In 2023, Mafe’s most productive year, he worked as a full-time starter and tallied 52 tackles, 16 QB hits, nine sacks, nine TFL and six passes defensed in 16 contests.
Mafe notched another 12 QB hits and six sacks during a 15-game, 11-start 2024, but the 27-year-old took on a lesser role for the Super Bowl champions last season. The former second-rounder from Minnesota came off the bench in 13 of 17 games and logged a 50% defensive snap share. Mafe could only muster four QB hits and a pair of sacks, but he nonetheless entered free agency with plenty of earning potential. He will indeed rake in a substantial raise in moving from Seattle to Cincinnati.
Mafe’s exit is the latest blow to the Seahawks’ roster on the first day of the league’s free agent negotiating period. They previously lost running back/Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Chiefs and safety Coby Bryant to the Bears.
Eagles Have Inquired On Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard; Jalen Carter Drawing Trade Interest
One of this year’s biggest trade candidates has already been dealt, with the Raiders agreeing to send DE Maxx Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks. Another high-profile edge rusher, the Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard, is also said to be available via trade, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Eagles have inquired.
It is unclear if talks between Minnesota and Philadelphia are ongoing, though Fowler adds the Vikes have received a number of calls on Greenard. The price to acquire him will be substantially less than the haul Baltimore gave up to land Crosby, with Fowler reiterating his prior report that a Day 2 pick will likely get it done.
The complicating factor here is that Greenard is seeking a raise despite having two years remaining on his current deal and despite coming off a season in which he played in just 12 games due to injury and recorded three sacks. It would make plenty of sense for a team to give up a Day 2 selection to land a pass rusher who posted 24.5 sacks over the 2023-24 seasons, but it would be more surprising to see Greenard secure a new deal at this juncture.
Meanwhile, the Eagles continue to negotiate with Jaelan Phillips, whom they acquired from the Dolphins at the 2025 trade deadline. Philly elected against putting the $28MM franchise tag on Phillips but are nonetheless prepared to authorize a notable contract. Per Fowler, the Eagles are willing to go “well above” $20MM per year for Phillips, who played well during his brief Philadelphia stint.
In addition to Greenard, the Eagles view the Seahawks’ Boye Mafe as a contingency plan if they are unable to retain Phillips, according to Fowler (who adds the club was never really in on Crosby). As those situations continue to unfold, and as A.J. Brown trade rumors continue to swirl, Fowler says Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman is also fielding trade calls for someone other than Brown.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is generating outside interest, as Fowler reports. We heard in January that Carter and fellow DT Jordan Davis were among Roseman’s top extension priorities, and the team just agreed to a lucrative extension for Davis. Our Ely Allen suggested that deal may cloud Carter’s future with the Eagles, especially since the 2023 first-rounder could be shooting for an historic pact.
Since he has accumulated three years of service time, Carter is now extension-eligible. The Eagles must make a decision on his fifth-year option by May 1, though it should be an easy call to exercise the option and lock in a $21.04 salary for 2027. To be clear, Fowler does not say whether Philadelphia is entertaining trade inquiries, and he does not mention which teams have reached out.
Cowboys Interested In Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, Boye Mafe
The Cowboys were among the teams which made a major push to acquire Maxx Crosby. With him no longer on the market, however, Dallas’ attention will now shift to free agency. 
A number of options will be available on the open market. A big-ticket addition would go a long way in helping aid the Cowboys’ pass rush, and depth signings may prove necessary as well. Each of Jadeveon Clowney, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler and Payton Turner are currently on track to reach free agency.
With respect to potential Dallas targets, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Trey Hendrickson remains a pass rusher receiving considerable attention. The Bengals opted to avoid using the franchise tag on Hendrickson, setting him up for a Cincinnati departure. The Cowboys have been mentioned as a logical landing spot in his case, although the 2024 sack champion’s preference may be to sign with the Buccaneers and by doing so remain in Florida.
According to Fowler, the Cowboys also have Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Boye Mafe on their radar. Phillips is the only pass rusher ranked ahead of Hendrickson on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent list. He is a candidate to remain in place with the Eagles after being acquired from Miami at the trade deadline. Otherwise, a strong market will be in store for the former first-rounder. Phillips only played 12 games between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, but a full slate this past campaign will help ease durability concerns in his case.
Oweh was also dealt in the middle of the 2025 season. He thrived upon arrival with the Chargers, racking up 7.5 sacks in 12 games. Los Angeles is interested in keeping the 27-year-old on a new deal, although fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack was re-signed yesterday. That certainly suggests Oweh will at least explore his options once the negotiating window opens tomorrow.
Mafe saw his Seahawks workload reduced during their Super Bowl campaign. That points to a departure, although coming off a season with just two sacks his market will likely not be as strong as some of the other pass rushers in position to land a new contract. Mafe would be a strong scheme fit for Dallas, with the team changing to a 3-4 base under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
The Cowboys recently took the expected route of restructuring several contracts. That moved Dallas into cap compliance but there is still work to be done to generate the funds needed for an active free agent period. If a major splash is to be made on the open market, one of the top edge rushers will likely be the target.
Seahawks, S Coby Bryant Held Extension Talks Before Season; RB Kenneth Walker Not In Team’s Future Plans?
The Seahawks engaged in extension talks with safety Coby Bryant before the 2025 season got underway, as ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports. There was too much of a gap to bridge in those discussions, but Henderson expects the parties to return to the negotiating table before free agency opens in March 2026.
Bryant, 26, was a fourth-round draft pick in 2022 and is therefore playing out the final year of his rookie deal. He is making a strong case for a notable second contract, appearing in a career-high 98% of Seattle’s defensive snaps this season and earning a 69.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which places him as the site’s 27th-best safety out of 93 qualifiers. He has added two interceptions and five passes defensed.
After spending most of his first two professional seasons in the slot, Bryant has become a starting safety, though he still sees action at nickel and in the box. Clearly, the team and head coach Mike Macdonald want to continue their relationship with Bryant, and their push for an extension may be informed at least in part by other contract situations on the roster.
As Henderson observes, a number of Seattle’s defensive backs are eligible for free agency in the upcoming offseason, including corners Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, and Derion Kendrick, and Bryant’s primary running mate at safety, Ty Okada. While the 7-3 ‘Hawks ultimately elected to keep Woolen and outside linebacker (and fellow 2026 FA) Boye Mafe through this month’s trade deadline, it sounds as if the club is prioritizing a re-up for Bryant.
Indeed, Henderson confirms prior reports suggesting Mafe is not in Seattle’s long-term plans, and he says the same is true of RB Kenneth Walker. Walker and Zach Charbonnet have largely shared the workload in the Seahawks’ offensive backfield in 2025, with Walker seeing 136 carries to Charbonnet’s 105.
From a raw statistics perspective, Walker has been more effective, as his 4.5 yards-per-carry average is considerably higher than Charbonnet’s 3.3 mark (Walker is also PFF’s highest-rated running back as of the time of this writing). Additionally, Walker has not exhibited any ill effects from the injuries that cost him six games last year.
On the other hand, Pro Football Reference has assigned Charbonnet a slightly higher success rate (44.8%, compared to Walker’s 44.1%), and Charbonnet flashed both as a runner and a receiver in his first two NFL seasons. He is under club control through 2026, whereas Walker is eligible for free agency (and a considerable raise) in March. Perhaps GM John Schneider simply does not want to give a second contract to a running back at this point.
Chiefs, Seahawks Nearly Completed Boye Mafe Trade
Boye Mafe is a pending free agent and it was reported not long before the trade deadline he is unlikely to remain in place with the Seahawks. As a result, a trade would have come as little surprise.
One was nearly worked out. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Seattle was in talks about a Mafe trade with the Chiefs. He adds the teams came close to finalizing a swap, with one source thinking a trade was actually in place at one point. Instead, the Seahawks elected to keep the fourth-year edge rusher in the fold.
That was known to be Seattle’s preference. As such, the Chiefs must have submitted an enticing offer for a trade to receive serious consideration on the part of the Seahawks. Kansas City had been identified as a candidate to add along the defensive front before the deadline, and the team could still do so on the free agent market.
Any acquisition at this point would not be expected to make a major impact, although the same may have been true of Mafe given his struggles this season. The former second-rounder totaled 18 sacks in his first three campaigns (including nine in 2023) but he has been held without one so far this year. Mafe has nevertheless logged a regular role and totaled eight quarterback pressures.
The 26-year-old will look to chip in as part of one of the league’s top defenses down the stretch. The Seahawks are near the top of the league with 27 sacks, and Mafe adding to that total could prove to be key as they compete for top spot in the NFC West. Seattle made a notable move on offense by adding wideout Rashid Shaheed, and it will be interesting to see how the decision to keep Mafe (along with cornerback Tariq Woolen for that matter) plays out as they approach free agency.
NFC Trade Notes: Mafe, Woolen, Shaheed, Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers, Lions
As one of three NFC West teams sporting a five-win record, the Seahawks do not fit the profile of a seller at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, a pair of notable defenders continue to be mentioned in trade talk.
Cornerback Tariq Woolen remains a name to watch ahead of the November 4 deadline. The most recent update on his status indicated he could remain in Seattle. Things could change in short order, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Seattle prefers to keep Woolen in place through the remainder of the season.
The former Pro Bowler has struggled this season and his rookie contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The same is also true of edge rusher Boye Mafe, who could very well depart in free agency this spring. As such, the 26-year-old is worth monitoring on the trade front. Schefter adds, though, that the Seahawks would also prefer to keep him.
Here are some other trade notes from around the NFC:
- In terms of receivers, one of the top candidates to move shortly is Rashid Shaheed. The Saints have been connected to an asking price of a Day 2 pick for the pending free agent. In particular, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football passes along New Orleans asked an AFC suitor for a third-round selection. Shaheed would provide a notable vertical addition to any acquiring team, but a price that high would be a surprise for a rental. It will be interesting to see if the Saints lower their asking price in the coming days.
- Logan Wilson‘s trade request is still in effect, and he is among the defenders worth monitoring on the Bengals. A number of teams have made calls recently, and Schefter reports the Cowboys are among them. Dallas could stand to use one (or more) defensive additions given the team’s play on that side of the ball, and the team is not only in the market for rentals. Wilson – who has 65 starts to his name – is under contract through 2027.
- The Packers faced questions about their secondary entering the campaign, but the team sits 15th against the pass so far. Green Bay is among the teams looking into corners on the trade market, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Tyson Campbell, Roger McCreary, Michael Carter II and (most recently) Jaire Alexander have already been dealt ahead of the deadline. Other corners could be on the move, however, and with nearly $12MM in cap space the Packers can afford a rental addition.
- Sitting atop the NFC South, the Buccaneers could look to add. It would nonetheless come as a surprise if a notable acquisition were to be made. Greg Auman of Fox Sports predicts Tampa Bay will (if anything) only be in the market for a depth addition in the rental market. Adding at the linebacker spot or along the edge would be feasible, per Auman, but a major move should not be expected.
- Another team not viewed as a serious buyer is the Lions. Defensive depth could still be targeted, though, and Russini writes safety and defensive line are among the positions being explored. Detroit is also among the teams which have called the Bengals about their defensive trade candidates (including Wilson but also cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt). With over $22MM in cap space, the Lions could afford a rental with ease.
Seahawks Unlikely To Retain Boye Mafe
After a quiet start to the season from Boye Mafe, the Seahawks fourth-year edge rusher seems likely to leave Seattle this offseason.
Mafe was the No. 40 overall pick in the 2022 draft and started three games as a rookie. He took over a full-time role in 2023 and recorded 15.0 sacks across his next two seasons. This year, however, he has just two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and zero sacks in seven games and a 62% defensive snap share.
As a result, Mafe is “not trending toward a lucrative second contract,” according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Obviously, his performance this year would preclude an in-season extension, but Dugar’s words suggest that he is not likely to be re-signed by the Seahawks this offseason, either.
Seattle has a few reasons to move on from Mafe. He was drafted in 2022 when Pete Carroll was still the team’s head coach. Now, Mike Macdonald is in charge, and teams typically turn over their rosters in the first few years of a new regime.
The Seahawks also have depth at edge rusher into next year. DeMarcus Lawrence signed a multi-year deal this offseason, and both Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall are under contract in 2026 as well. Lawrence and Nwosu have outproduced Mafe this season, but Hall has taken a step back after his eight-sack breakout last year. It still seems likely that Seattle will keep Hall for the final year of his rookie deal, and Nwosu’s five sacks in six games this year could save him from being a cap casualty next spring.
Mafe could also be somewhat expensive. His pressure rate is slightly down relative to his last two years, but his pass rush win rate is about the same, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He could be due for some positive regression later this season, which would boost his stock heading into free agency. His 2023 and 2024 production won’t be forgotten by teams in need of pass-rush help, either.
Boye Mafe, Seahawks Not Working On Extension
The Seahawks are not engaged in extension talks with fourth-year outside linebacker Boye Mafe, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic.
Mafe, a 2022 second-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He broke out in 2023 with 9.0 sacks and 25 pressures, but could not quite match that pace last seasons under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Mafe still earned a career-high 75.2 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2024 with notable improvements in run defense and pass coverage, indicating that he’s trending in the right direction in a contract year.
The Seahawks’ signing of DeMarcus Lawrence this offseason will likely eat into Mafe’s snap share, but neither Lawrence nor Uchenna Nwosu are owed guaranteed money past 2025. That could position Mafe to be the undisputed starter in 2026 if he outplays his veteran teammates this season and agrees to stay in Seattle. He could pursue such a contract before the season, but Dugar believes that the two sides will wait until after the season.
As a result, 2025 has massive financial implications for Mafe. Edge rushers from the 2021 draft class with comparable statistics cashed in this offseason, including Greg Rousseau ($20MM APY) and Dayo Odeyingbo ($16MM). Another strong year from Mafe could push him over the $20MM per year threshold.
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker Back For Week 4
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker was off to a hot start in Week 1 with 103 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries before leaving the game with an oblique injury. He’s been out ever since, but according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the third-year rusher will make his return to the field in Week 4. 
Since Walker’s departure, Zach Charbonnet has stepped in as the lead back in Seattle. He struggled in his first start of the season, amassing only 38 rushing yards on 14 carries but saved the performance with a touchdown, as well as five catches for 31 yards through the air. Last week, he showed RB1 potential with a 91-yard, two-touchdown performance.
While Walker is returning to the field, it might be in the Seahawks’ best interest to slow-play his comeback. The team will obviously want to get Walker involved in the offense, but if they feel confident with the body of work Charbonnet has put forth thus far, they may continue to give Charbonnet a good number of carries until they’re certain Walker is 100 percent.
Walker’s return is obviously good news, but unfortunately, it comes alongside the announcement that four defensive players will be unavailable this coming Monday. Per Brady Henderson of ESPN, defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy and outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe have all been ruled out for Week 4. Williams, Nwosu, and Mafe have been starters so far this year, while Murphy has played a strong rotational role on the line.
Nwosu has missed Seattle’s first three games with an MCL sprain and is not yet ready to come back. The other three all suffered injuries in last week’s matchup with the Dolphins. Murphy suffered a hamstring injury, Williams hurt his ribs, and Mafe aggravated a previous knee issue. The Seahawks will attempt to use Mike Morris and Myles Adams to fill the holes on the line, while Derick Hall and Dre’Mont Jones should fill in at outside linebacker.
Edge Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browning, Hawks
After letting both Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue walk during the 2021 free agency period, the Ravens acquired a first-round pick in the Orlando Brown Jr. trade. The team entered the draft determined to use one of its two first-round choices on an edge defender, but strategy played a role in the team ending up with Odafe Oweh. The Ravens would have been happy with either Oweh or Greg Rousseau, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes, but also wanted to leave last year’s first round with a wide receiver.
We heard previously the Ravens expected the Packers to select Bateman, whom several execs viewed as the team most likely to draft the Big Ten prospect. That played into Baltimore’s edge defender blueprint as well. The team had Oweh and Rousseau ranked similarly on its 2021 draft board, Zrebiec adds, leading to Bateman being prioritized with the No. 27 pick. Waiting for No. 31 to make its edge rusher selection paid off, as Oweh remained on the board. The Bills took Rousseau at 30. (The Packers took cornerback Eric Stokes at 29.) Through 1 1/4 seasons, Oweh has six sacks, four forced fumbles and 17 quarterback hits. Rousseau checks in with similar production, having tallied eight sacks — four already this season — along with one strip and 16 QB hits.
Here is the latest from the NFL’s edge defender landscape:
- The Ravens used Jason Pierre-Paul extensively alongside Oweh in Week 4, playing the recently signed veteran on 55 defensive snaps. Their one-year Pierre-Paul deal is worth $1.35MM, according to OverTheCap. The contract includes a $150K signing bonus and playing time- and sack-based incentives that could take the price north of $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. This is a lower-priced deal than JPP is accustomed to signing, but he has a chance to be the rare free agent to sign in-season and earn potentially far more than the veteran minimum.
- The Lions will be waiting a bit longer to deploy their two-Okwara edge-rushing attack. Eligible to return from the Lions’ PUP list this week, Romeo Okwara will likely need more time to recover from his 2021 injury, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Okwara, who suffered an Achilles tear just more than a year ago, did not return to practice this week when first eligible.
- Detroit’s pass rush, when at full strength, is set to include Romeo and Julian Okwara, Charles Harris and first- and second-round picks Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal. That said, the Lions are adding another edge rusher to the equation. Rookie UDFA Demetrius Taylor is going to play defensive end in his debut this week, Birkett notes. Signed as a UDFA defensive tackle, Taylor will shift to a big D-end role as the Lions attempt to pick up the pieces on defense. This will likely lead to Hutchinson, who had previously played the team’s “big end” spot, rushing from around the formation, per Birkett. Taylor saw some time at D-end at Appalachian State.
- It will not be second-round pick Nik Bonitto getting the call to replace Randy Gregory; Baron Browning will play that role for the Broncos beginning Thursday night, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. This will be an interesting stretch for Browning, whom the Broncos used as an inside linebacker during his 2021 rookie season. The third-round pick moved to the outside this offseason, helping lead to the late-August Malik Reed trade, and has impressed the coaching staff. Bonitto, who began the season as a healthy scratch despite being Denver’s top 2022 draftee, will see more time as a rotational cog behind Browning and Bradley Chubb.
- The Seahawks will give second-rounder Boye Mafe more playing time, Pete Carroll said this week. This will be interesting considering the rookie logged a season-high 32 defensive snaps against the Lions. Mafe, who has one sack thus far this season, registered 10 in his final college campaign.