The dust is starting to settle on the 2024 NFL trade deadline. While the Cincinnati Bengals sort of bucked its trend of inactivity, fans were left disappointed when the 4:00 P.M. EST deadline came and went without a second move. While the moniker of “same old Bengals” may not be 100% applicable in this situation, it’s easy to remain pessimistic in the outlook of the team. The Bengals have obvious holes and the team failed to address them.
Inside the Bengals Disappointing Trade Deadline
One and Done
In a move that surprised every single living human in the 513 area code, the Bengals made a trade. In the morning, news broke that Khalil Herbert was headed to Cincinnati from the Chicago Bears for a meager 2025 seventh-round draft pick.
Hebert is a depth piece for the running back room and he won’t impact Chase Brown‘s workload much. There was some context to follow the move that Zack Moss, the Bengals’ six-game starter at the position and free agent acquisition this offseason, has been dealing with a neck injury. He was inactive in Week 9 but the injury was worse than initially thought and he will be out indefinitely.
Herbert is in the fourth year of his rookie contract after being a sixth-round pick for Chicago. He was not making much of an impact for the Bears this year but was a quality change-of-pace guy in his first three seasons. In his career, Herbert has run for 1,791 yards and nine touchdowns off 372 rushes. Most of his impact was in 2022 and 2023 where he amassed 1.342 yards and six touchdowns.
Khalil Herbert is a good runner who does his best work on zone runs. Probably at his best in under center wide zone, but was very effective from the gun on inside zone. Can make defenders miss in the open field and has good contact balance to stay on his feet. pic.twitter.com/OMbVcrVVSh
— mike (@bengals_sans) November 5, 2024
He isn’t the best pass blocker but he is better than what the Bengals have behind Brown. Where he is a step up from Moss is his exclusivity. Herbert can make defenders miss and get those chunk plays so the offense doesn’t have to lean on Brown exclusively.
Sitting on Their Hands
After the Herbert trade, the Bengals were quiet.
According to The Athletic‘s Diana Russini, the Bengals were “searching specifically for a [defensive tackle].” Credit where it’s due, the team tried. That is, of course, assuming Russini was not being fed nonsense from the front office.
There have been reports that teams with players linked to trades were just asking too much. No team will come out and say specifically that they were looking for a certain return but the Bengals needed to make a move.
Azeez Ojulari. Jadeveon Clowney. Calais Campbell. Chase Young. Arden Key. Sebastian Joseph-Day.
Cincinnati could have made a move or any veteran defensive tackle. Campbell is 38 years old on a 2-6 team, how expensive of a return would they have had to send to the Miami Dolphins? They were allegedly linked to Young. Were the 2-6 New Orleans Saints asking too much or were the Bengals being stubborn?
If the Bengals were truly serious about digging out of the 0-3/1-4 hole they dug themselves, they would have figured it out.
Now, the team must rely on a defense that has had stretches of legitimately pathetic football. It has held offenses to fewer than 300 yards just three times. In the losses to the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens (round one), and Philadelphia Eagles, it just could not get a stop. The unit looked good against some of the worst offenses in the league but so does every other defense.
Your opinion ….Did the Bengals do enough today at NFL trade deadline?
— Bengal Jim & Friends (@bengaljims_BTR) November 5, 2024
The Bengals missed a massive opportunity to prove, not only to its fans but to its team, that it believes the team can make a run.
Now, a trip to the Baltimore Ravens awaits. With a win, Cincinnati moves to 5-5. With a loss, it’s 4-6 and every game from then on out becomes “must-win.”
Main Image: Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
