The Cincinnati Bengals have made an in-season trade! For just the third time in 52 years, the Bengals have made a trade mid-season and this time, it’s for a playmaking running back. On Tuesday, the Bengals agreed to send a seventh-round pick to the Chicago Bears for Khalil Herbert.
With the recent news that Zack Moss has a significant neck injury, the Bengals go out and trade for running back help to pair with Chase Brown. Herbert is in the final year of his rookie contract with the Bears where he has spent the entirety of his four-year NFL career.
Bears to trade RB Khalil Herbert to Bengals for a 2025 7th-round draft pick. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/Rc5cagHj36
— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2024
Bengals, Bears, Agree on Trade for Khalil Herbert
Herbert was a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech where he posted a senior season with 1,182 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
In his rookie season, Herbert appeared in all 17 games with starts against the Packers and Buccaneers. That year, he ran for 433 yards and two touchdowns off 103 carries. When given a full workload of at least 18 carries, Herbert accounted for 344 yards and a score in four games including his first career 100-yard game.
Despite missing four weeks in 2022, Herbert put up career numbers. In 13 games, he only made one start but ran for 731 yards and four touchdowns off 129 carries. In the Week 4 win over the Houston Texans, Herbert carried the ball 20 times for a career-high of 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Last season, Herbert missed five games in the middle of the season but appeared in 12 games with nine starts for the Bears. In those 12 games, he amassed 611 yards and two touchdowns off 132 carries.
This year, he has not been much of a factor for the Bears’ offense with just five appearances, no starts, and a total of 16 rushing yards with one touchdown.
The Bengals add a young running back in Herbert who has shown that he can carry an offense if asked. He has five 100-yard games to his credit. In his 48-game career, he averages 4.81 yards per carry.
Additionally, he has 45 career receptions for 291 yards and two touchdowns.
He is a decent pass-blocker but is not outstanding, so it will be worth looking at the pass-blocking roles in this room.
The Bengals show that they may be changing how they do things with the trade, even if it is for a depth running back. They still have a few holes worth filling with hours until the deadline.
Main Image: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
