The Bengals walked out of Miami with a 31-24 win and a reminder that the job is nowhere close to finished. Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes.
Jordan Battle came up with two interceptions. And yet Cincinnati still gave up 217 rushing yards, leaving the defense with the same uncomfortable question it has been asking all season: who can hold up on the back end?
That’s why the Week 6 bye matters so much. With a break before traveling to Baltimore in Week 7, Duke Tobin has a real chance to attack the weakness that keeps sticking out. The move Cincinnati should be chasing is a trade for Tampa Bay cornerback Zyon McCollum.
The fit makes sense on paper. The Bengals need another outside corner to pair with DJ Turner II, especially with injuries and uneven coverage making the secondary too easy to stress.
McCollum gives them size, speed, and experience on the perimeter. He’s 6-foot-2 and 199 pounds, has started all five games for Tampa Bay this season, and has six passes defensed.
Over his career, he has three interceptions and 39 passes defensed.
That kind of profile would give Lou Anarumo more ways to line up his defense. Cincinnati wouldn’t have to keep leaning on depth players in tough spots against top receivers, and the rest of the secondary could breathe a little easier. McCollum wouldn’t cure every issue in one shot, but he would give the Bengals a steadier answer when the passing game starts attacking the edges.
The timing is what really boosts the appeal. A new defensive back has to learn the language, the responsibilities, and the communication that ties the back end together.
That’s hard enough in-season. During a bye week, Cincinnati would have more room for meetings and practice reps to get McCollum up to speed before the Ravens show up on the schedule.
And that Ravens game is exactly why waiting would be risky. Baltimore would give the Bengals an immediate test, and Cincinnati can’t afford to go into that matchup with breakdowns in communication or a secondary vulnerable to big plays. Adding McCollum before then would give the staff another option as it prepares for one of the season’s key divisional games.
There’s also the price to consider. Tampa Bay is 0-5, so it’s fair to wonder whether the Buccaneers would listen on veterans in exchange for future help.
But that doesn’t mean McCollum would come cheap. A mid-round pick could be a reasonable place to start, depending on how Tampa Bay values him and what else is out there.
Cincinnati would also need to look closely at the contract side and how McCollum fits into the bigger defensive picture. The goal is to upgrade a shaky spot without burning the assets the team may need elsewhere. If the Buccaneers push for too much, the Bengals should be ready to move on and look at other corner options.
Still, McCollum checks a lot of boxes. He brings size, experience, and a profile that could help right away if the Bengals get him into the building during the bye. Tobin should be prepared to act fast if the opportunity is there.
The win over Miami mattered, but it didn’t erase the bigger defensive problem. A team that allows 217 rushing yards and has to survive on takeaways is living dangerously, especially against the AFC’s best. Cincinnati needs more stability, cleaner tackling, and a secondary that can stand up when opponents go after the perimeter.
A trade for McCollum wouldn’t solve everything. It would, however, give the Bengals another experienced corner and a better chance to get the back end in order before the schedule tightens again.
With Burrow playing like Burrow, the offense can carry its weight. Now the front office has to help the defense catch up.
In Other News...
Justin Herbert Questions Grow After Chargers Make Sudden QB Move
The Chargers are making a change behind center ahead of Sundays game against the Chiefs, adding veteran Jake Browning to the roster as Justin Herberts season continues to draw scrutiny. Herberts play has fueled plenty of outside questions in 2026, and any quarterback move in Los Angeles naturally sends ripples through the rest of the league, especially for a division-rival audience watching how firmly the Chargers are willing to stand behind their starter.
For all the noise around Herbert, the teams stance has been much less dramatic than the speculation suggests. Los Angeles has not discussed trading him, and the idea was never considered internally, even as the performance questions keep piling up. Brownings arrival adds another layer to the conversation, but it does not appear to have changed the Chargers basic view of Herbert, at least for now. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Finally Have Reason To Feel Better About Burrow Up Front
The bye week has given Cincinnati a little extra time to appreciate one of the quieter reasons the season has stabilized: Joe Burrow has been getting better protection up front. Coming off a 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins, the Bengals can point to an offensive line that has held up well enough to keep the passing game humming and let Burrow work effectively in the red zone, where he threw four touchdown passes in the victory.
For a team that has spent plenty of recent seasons worrying about life in the pocket, that matters. The bigger picture is still mixed, with the defense continuing to raise concerns, but the front five has at least given Cincinnati a sturdier foundation than it has had at times in the past. In a season where margin for error remains slim, the Bengals have reason to feel better about how Burrow is being protected, even if the larger questions around the roster are still waiting on answers. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Have A Tight End Opening Fans Need To Watch
Tanner Hudsons season is over after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the Dolphins, leaving the Bengals with a sudden opening at tight end at a time when the offense is already adjusting elsewhere. With Jake Browning now with the Chargers and the backfield workload shifting between Samaje Perine and Chase Brown, Cincinnatis depth chart has been in motion, and the tight end room is the latest spot to feel the ripple effect.
Jack Endries is one name to watch in the aftermath. The seventh-round draft pick has yet to take an offensive snap this season, but Hudsons injury creates a path for him to see more action if the Bengals choose to lean on the young tight end for extra help in the passing game and in-line work. [Read more 🡒]