As Bryan Cook overcomes a hamstring scare, the arrival of veteran Kyle Dugger bolsters a revamped secondary poised to transform Cincinnati’s defense through newfound elite depth.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Bryan Cook returned to practice on August 24 after not practicing for an extended period of time due to a hamstring injury.
Cook was Cincinnati’s marquee free-agent signing of the offseason, both due to the resume that he’s built over four NFL seasons and due to the expectations built up for him when his signing was announced.
Geno Stone spent the past few seasons with the Bengals playing a very subpar brand of football on the back end of the Bengals' defense. Ever since Cincinnati let Jessie Bates walk in free agency, they have struggled at the safety position.
Bringing in Cook meant bringing in one of the best safeties in the NFL, and he could very well revolutionize the entirety of the Bengals' defense, which has been one of the worst units in the NFL for quite some time.
Obviously, Cook going down worried many fans, especially given the nagging nature of hamstring injuries.
However, one of the biggest things that has emerged in the wake of Cook’s injury is safety Kyle Dugger, who has emerged as an integral depth piece in the Bengals' defense. The 30-year-old will be entering his seventh season in the NFL in 2026, and lines up to be behind both Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle in the back end of Cincinnati’s defense.
He has 11 career interceptions and 483 tackles. His best season came in 2023 when he posted 109 tackles, surpassing 100 tackles for the first and only time so far in his career.
Dugger signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Bengals in April after spending the second half of the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being traded from the New England Patriots.
I've mentioned multiple times how the biggest thing that will make the Bengals defense make a 180 this upcoming season isn’t just the talent: It’s the depth.
On both the defensive line and at safety, Cincinnati has tremendous depth. Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, and Cashius Howell all join the roster and have chances to start over last year’s starters like BJ Hill, Myles Murphy, and others.
At safety, they’ve gone from a struggling Geno Stone and Jordan Battle to Cook and Battle, who should take a step forward in 2026, and Dugger, who has been remarkably consistent throughout his career.
He has been active in Cook's absence during training camp, making many plays, including an impressive pass break-up against Mike Gesicki on Monday afternoon.
