The Cincinnati Bengals have a problem and a mystery on defense right now, and one trade could address both of them.

Cornerback depth is where the problem lies. Nickelbacks Jalen Davis and Ja’Sir Taylor are both on injured reserve, which has forced Dax Hill to kick inside to the slot. That move pushed DJ Ivey into a starting role on the outside, and the Miami Dolphins showed how easily he can be exploited.

Cincinnati’s secondary is weaker at the current moment, and even when Davis and Taylor are healthy, neither one is an ideal starter for a defense with real playoff aspirations.

I think the Bengals should pursue a trade for a better starting slot defender to fortify their secondary for the rest of the season. The best way to land that player may be to move the biggest mystery on the defense: Shemar Stewart.

Why isn’t Shemar Stewart playing for the Bengals?

Stewart is just a month removed from a hyperextended knee, and he’s played only 17 defensive snaps all season. His most active game came this past Sunday when he logged eight snaps in Miami. Outside of a hustle sack on C.J. Stroud in Cincy’s Week 2 win over the Houston Texans, he hasn’t been a factor. He’s comfortably fifth on the depth chart for defensive ends behind starters Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy, and backups Cashius Howell and Cedric Johnson.

All of that points to the question without a clear answer. Is Stewart simply the worst of the five, or is he still not healthy enough to handle more than a handful of snaps a game? Whatever the truth is, he isn’t contributing, and that makes him expendable.

Stewart’s lack of usage doesn’t equate to a lack of trade value. He’s still 22 years old with “former first-round pick” attached to his resume. He’s got over two years remaining on his rookie contract as well, and that doesn’t even include the fifth-year option. The very position he plays is one the majority of the league is always looking to bolster.

There could be a market for Stewart. Using A to Z Sports’ new NFL Trade Simulator, I looked to the Big Apple for a solution.

Trade proposal: Shemar Stewart to the Giants

Here’s the deal I’d put on the table. The Bengals send Stewart to the New York Giants in exchange for CB Dru Phillips, the Giants’ sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft (acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars), and their fourth-round pick in the 2028 draft.

Phillips, a third-round pick from the 2024 draft, has been New York’s slot corner since his rookie season and has developed well in the position. He’s allowed a 63.6 passer rating in coverage this season, and has been a reliable tackler for most of his career thus far.

According to our simulator, the value is almost exactly even on both sides. Stewart is younger and less proven than Phillips, but he’s a former first-round pick at a premium position. Players like that tend to fetch more than their production suggests.

The Giants make sense as a partner for two reasons. First, the Bengals have a history of doing business with them. Cincinnati acquired nose tackle Dexter Lawrence from New York this offseason. Five years ago, the two sides swapped B.J. Hill for former first-round pick Billy Price. They are also quite thin at defensive end after Brian Burns tore his ACL. Stewart would walk into a room with real opportunities to play and get the on-field development he desperately needs.

Why the trade makes sense for the Bengals

Credit to Cincinnati for building a DE group that doesn’t need Stewart to produce right away this season. The same cannot be said about the Bengals’ CB room, and there are more long-term concerns at the position compared to the edges of the defensive line.

Davis and Taylor are both on one-year deals. Hill is in the final year of his contract, as is DJ Turner II. The Bengals have very few competent cornerbacks under contract through 2027. Phillips would give them one more.

The Giants value Phillips as a starter, and it may take more than an inactive former first-round pick to pry him loose. But Cincinnati should at least entertain the idea of moving Stewart now. This isn’t about booting him off the roster on principle. He’s got high-end athleticism and the size you want at the position. If an injury hits the edge group, I’d want him getting more reps. I honestly don’t even believe the Bengals would entertain moving him at this point in his career.

But the longer Stewart sits, the more his trade value fades. Right now, teams like the Giants may still see someone they can get something out of. That may not be true after the deadline passes.

Want to build your own Bengals trade? Try the A to Z Sports NFL Trade Simulator for yourself using the link below.