The Cincinnati Bengals do not make trades. It doesn’t matter if it is in-season or in the offseason, the Bengals rarely trade. The team is notorious for its consistent inaction, much to the ire of its fans. In 2021, the Bengals made a Super Bowl run with an obvious deficiency on the offensive line and did not make a move. The 2022 season saw the Bengals want to get back but the team did nothing. Last year, the team was looking good at the deadline, fresh off back-to-back dominant wins over good teams, and nothing happened.
This year, the season is not going as the Bengals expected. At 3-5, every game is must-win. There are obvious deficiencies, most notably on the defensive side of the ball. The prevailing notion is that the team will continue its well-established trade deadline strategy: do nothing.
However, on the Saturday leading up to the pivotal November 5 trade deadline, The Athletic‘s Diana Russini threw a wrench into the whole situation:
The Bengals are making calls to find players and still trying. This organization has only acquired two players via trade in 52 years, but they are shopping. They are focused on DL and corner, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 2, 2024
Are the Cincinnati Bengals Serious About the Trade Deadline or is it a Smokescreen?
According to Russini, GMs have been in contact with the Bengals, and those who have said that “they are very serious about adding. It’s not just flirting.” If this is true and the team isn’t just blowing smoke, this could be an indication that the old way of doing things is over.
In her reporting, Russini asserted that the Bengals are focused on defensive line and cornerback. Thus far this year, the Bengals’ defense has been rough and has only shown up against two of the worst teams in the league. Against offenses with pulses – Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles – it got ugly.
The pass rush is non-existent outside of Trey Hendrickson. As a team, the Bengals have forced 12 sacks…Hendrickson has seven of them. Two of those sacks were from Dax Hill, a corner who is out for the year, and half of a sack was attributed to Zachary Carter who is no longer on the team. Granted, the interior defensive line has been banged up thus far. In four of the Bengals’ eight games to this point, the defense has forced one or no sacks including last week when the defensive line was healthy. They need help.
Shooting for the moon, the Bengals could target a guy they will see in Week 9: Maxx Crosby. While the Las Vegas Raiders said he is not on the trade block, they’d be foolish not to listen to any trade offer. Crosby would fetch a pretty penny and would require the Bengals to part with its coveted draft picks. A player of his caliber is 100% worth it.
The Bengals buying anything at the trade deadline would be a sign to the locker room and fans that key modernization will continue.
Put up or shut up.
— Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) November 2, 2024
More realistically, the team has been linked to the New York Giants’ Azeez Ojulari. The talented pass-rusher from Georgia is in the final year of his rookie deal and the Giants need to stockpile draft capital. Thus far this year, he’s been having a renaissance season with 24 tackles, six tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, six sacks, and a fumble recovery. While his on-paper stats don’t blow you away, he would immediately step in as the Bengals’ second-best pass rusher and would be worth a moderate second contract as that would be a priority of the Bengals.
The Miami Dolphins are listening to offers for veteran defensive tackle, Calais Campbell. Cincinnati could have (should have) signed Campbell off the street this offseason but elected not to. The 38-year-old defensive end is likely headed for the Hall of Fame when his career ends and would give the Bengals a much-needed boost.
Other possible defensive line names floated out there are Chase Young, Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Jadeveon Clowney.
When it comes to the cornerback portion of the discussion, it’s hard to say what they could do. Marshon Lattimore is a name that is out there on the block but will the Bengals look to add a difference-maker or are they looking to improve the depth at the position?
We’ve Seen This Before
The issue is that no matter how many reports get circulated of the Bengals being serious, fans know to take it with many grains of salt. The prevailing opinion is “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The Bengals just do not make in-season trades one way or the other. However, they also did not structure contracts the way they did with Joe Burrow/will do with Ja’Marr Chase.
This year, despite the slow start, could be a Flashpoint for the franchise. The team knows they have a playoff-worthy roster with a franchise quarterback who is playing at a near-MVP level. The defense just needs a little help.
Seeing a notification that the Bengals decided to make a trade would be a welcome surprise in Cincinnati. The issue is that the Bengals share a city with the Cincinnati Reds who have done the same thing. They leak that they are interested in big free agents or making trades and when it inevitably does not come to fruition, they say, “well, we tried to get a deal done but it just didn’t happen, unfortunately.”
They “tried.”
Are the Bengals “trying” or are they trying?
Time will tell. the NFL trade deadline is in just two days on November 5 at 4:00 P.M. Eastern.
Main Image: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
