All of the sudden, the Cincinnati Bengals have an incredibly crowded defensive tackle room.

Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and B.J. Hill are set to form the new triumvirate of interior disruption the Bengals have not had since DJ Reader, Larry Ogunjobi, and Hill came together to form a dynamic trio back in 2021.

There will be more than three DTs on the Week 1 roster, but some of the names from last year’s group will not be a part of the 2026 room. The surprising arrival of Lawrence specifically demands that to be the case.

The 2026 NFL Draft provides Cincinnati a good chance at sending away one of its reserve interior linemen for a draft pick in return. Let’s go through the three players who could be on the trade block.

T.J. Slaton Jr.

Lawrence is the new nose tackle in town, leaving T.J. Slaton Jr. out of a starting gig. He signed a two-year, $14.1 million to be the starter last year and produced middling results. He fits as a high-quality backup on paper, but his salary will jump from $2.5 million to $5.72 million. Is he making too much for a now diminished role?

Teams in need of competition at NT should have interest in Slaton. The Bengals may not be able to get more than a Day 3 pick for him, but if they can recoup a fifth-rounder they gave up for Joe Flacco, that may be enticing.

Kris Jenkins Jr.

Cincinnati used its second-round pick in 2024 on Jenkins, and has not received enough return on investment after two years. Sure, he’s played almost exactly 1,000 snaps and has flashed here and there against the run, but the emphasis on spending major resources at his position tells you how the club thinks about his trajectory.

Draft status can be the Bengals’ ally here in trading Jenkins away. Interested teams who also had a second-round grade on him may be inclined to give up a pick slightly lower than that price. A fourth-rounder may be the absolute most they could expect, but a fifth shouldn’t be out of the question.

McKinnley Jackson

The only one on this list who’s actually requested a trade is McKinnley Jackson. Cincinnati selected Jackson in the third-round of the 2024 draft when it had a dire need at nose tackle. It’s been tough sledding for him to see the field during his first two years, and it will be significantly harder now.

Jackson is the most likely to be removed from the roster compared to Slaton and Jenkins in terms of ability and investment, though he’s also cheaper to move in comparison as well. If the Bengals can get any pick or a similar player at another position in need, they should jump at the opportunity.