Bengals NFL Draft theory forms thanks to behind the scenes look at declined NFL Draft trade
The Cincinnati Bengals traded out of the first round before the 2026 NFL Draft began. Had they stayed, there’s a decent chance they would’ve missed out on former Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
The Cincinnati Bengals trading for Dexter Lawrence for the No. 10 pick eliminated their chances to draft former Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. It’s entirely possible Cincinnati wouldn’t have been able to draft Downs anyway.
Downs was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys after Dallas traded up to the No. 11 pick with the Miami Dolphins. If the Cowboys had their way, they would’ve drafted him two picks earlier.
ESPN’s NFL Draft documentary, “The Pick Is In,” reveals the Cleveland Browns were offered to trade back with Dallas from the No. 9 pick. The Cowboys were trying to jump their rivals, the New York Giants, to land Downs within the top-10 picks.
Bengals may’ve been robbed of Caleb Downs had they stayed in the first round
Dallas attempting multiple trades to move up for Downs clearly indicates he was the target for “America’s Team.” Jerry Jones and Co. weren’t going to wait around to see if the two-time unanimous All-American was going to last until pick No. 12.
Had the Bengals stayed put at No. 10, hoping Downs would fall to them, they may’ve watched the Cowboys get their way.
Downs and Cincinnati were heavily linked as the pre-draft process was coming to a close. Most mock drafts had the 21-year old defensive back staying in the Buckeye State before the trade for Lawrence seemingly came out of nowhere.
It’s why Bengals fans are theorizing Dallas would’ve successfully traded up for Downs if the No. 10 pick still belonged to the team who was most likely going to pick him before the Cowboys.
It’s an interesting theory, but even with the Giants holding the pick, Dallas still attempted to move up for Downs. The Cowboys needed to up their offer to Cleveland in order to secure the No. 9 pick in the first place.
Would they have done so with Cincy waiting behind them? That’s where the speculation lies.
The Bengals made the aggressive move for Lawrence believing he was by far the best option for them. They didn’t think one of their top targets was going to last nine picks. This theory would support their mindset as well.
We’ll, of course, never know if the Browns would’ve accepted Dallas’ offer if Cincinnati was still picking No. 10. But for any Bengals fan who wanted to see the former OSU star in stripes, you may find peace in this theory.
