Bengals’ NFL trade deadline plans should be influenced by outcome of upcoming game against Bears
Cincinnati has players other teams want, but will they be available?
The Cincinnati Bengals could have an eventful next three days if they wish.
Two days after Cincinnati’s Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears is the NFL trade deadline. All 32 clubs have until Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4:00 p.m. ET to submit trade offers for the rest of the season.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, several NFL teams have expressed interest in trading for Bengals players such as defensive end Trey Hendrickson, cornerback Cam Tayl0r-Britt, and linebacker Logan Wilson. The problem for them is Cincinnati’s unwillingness to part ways with said players.
“Many teams, including the Rams, 49ers, Lions, Colts and Eagles, have called the Bengals on numerous players, including LB Logan Wilson, CB Cam Taylor-Britt and, of course, DE Trey Hendrickson. For now, some teams don’t believe Cincinnati has any real interest in moving its core pieces.” – The Athletic’s Dianna Russini
The Bengals are notoriously against trading away their own players midseason. Carson Palmer and Carlos Dunlap are pretty much the only exceptions to the rule, and both players had essentially quit on the team. There’s also the aspect of not wanting to liquidate the roster after trading for Joe Flacco if there’s still a chance at making the playoffs.
Sunday can at least make an impact on that, and one way or another, the Bengals’ actions should follow.
Bengals’ trade deadline approach should be influenced by outcome vs. Bears
Should Cincinnati lose to Chicago and fall to 3-6 on the year, hope of salvaging the 2025 season would diminish even further. There have been recent examples of teams to make the playoffs with just three wins in nine games like the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams in 2023, but the Bengals face a tough slate of games following their Week 10 bye with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens twice, and Buffalo Bills all on tap.
Simply put, climbing out of a 3-6 hole will be daunting. The pivot to selling at the deadline should be clear.
Even if the Bengals want to be as competitive as possible, players like Taylor-Britt and Wilson are still expendable. Both have been benched at some point this season and don’t appear to be in the long-term plans. If they’re not already contributing positively on a losing team, what makes them untouchable in trade offers?
Holding on to players who are likely to be gone in the offseason for another eight games can’t be justified as wise, not when adding draft capital for the future can be accomplished. This isn’t the Cincinnati way, of course, but that methodology hasn’t exactly worked over the last two years.
Expecting nothing from the Bengals at the trade deadline is the smart course of action, but if they want to take a more progressive approach, the outcome of Sunday’s tilt should have an impact.
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