The NFL free agency negotiation window begins on Monday, and the Cincinnati Bengals are entering the period with defense as the top need. The unit finished 30th in scoring in 2025 and has been below-average in each of the past three seasons, spanning the team's entire playoff drought.

It's no surprise that Cincinnati is eyeing free-agent safeties, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"The Jets and Bengals come up often in conversations about safeties at or toward the top of the market," he reported. "Kansas City's Bryan Cook remains a key figure in this market."

Cook notched a career-high 85 tackles and six passes defensed for the Chiefs in 2025 and hasn't missed a game since 2023. The 26-year-old has a market value of four years, $56.7 million ($14.2 million AAV), per Spotrac.

Cincinnati could use depth at safety, especially with veteran Geno Stone hitting the open market. The 26-year-old was fourth on the team with 104 tackles and tied for sixth with four passes defensed over 17 games this past season.

Cook would be an upgrade to Stone according to PFF, as he ranks 20th on the outlet's NFL free agent rankings, while Stone is 128th. Cook's 83.5 PFF grade ranked fifth among safeties in 2025, while Stone's 51.8 grade was third-lowest among safeties with at least 1,500 snaps. Additionally, Stone was tied with fellow Bengal Jordan Battle for 11th-worst in football with a 20% missed tackle rate, and Cook was at just 5.6%.

However, Cook isn't the only free-agent option at the position as the negotiation window approaches.

The next two safeties on PFF's free-agent ranking are Kevin Byard and Jabrill Peppers. Byard earned first-team All-Pro honors for the third time this past season after notching 93 tackles, eight passes defensed, and a league-leading seven interceptions, while Peppers started two of 14 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Byard has a two-year, $15.6 million ($7.8 million AAV) market value, while Peppers has a one-year, $1.4 million value, per Spotrac.

Peppers could be a steal, as he ranked seventh among safeties with an 82.3 PFF grade for the New England Patriots in 2024, although he played just six games. The New Jersey native also had a grade of 87.3 in 2023.

However, paying an elite option like Byard less than $8 million per season would be hard not to like for the Bengals as well. The 32-year-old might not be a long-term option, but they're a win-now team for as long as they have superstar quarterback Joe Burrow.

Regardless, Cincinnati must add talent across all three levels of the defense this offseason, especially with star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson on the way out the door.