The Bengals are heading to Miami this weekend with a chance to get back above .500 before the bye, but their 2-2 start hasn’t changed the bigger picture: this roster still has a few holes, and the trade deadline is starting to loom.
That’s why PFF’s latest list of 15 trade candidates is worth a look in Cincinnati. Two cornerbacks on the board were named as potential fits for the Bengals, giving the front office a pair of defensive options if it decides to get aggressive.
One of them is Tampa Bay’s Zyon McCollum. PFF pointed to a player whose stock has shifted after a strong opening stretch: “McCollum enjoyed a tremendous start to the 2024 season, but since then, his production has certainly waned. Over the first four games of 2026, McCollum sports just a 58.3 PFF coverage grade, although his passer rating against (80.4) and forced incompletion rate (13.3%) are both in at least the 60 th percentile.
“In the first year of a three-year, $48 million extension, McCollum is another defender the Buccaneers could look to shed. The Steelers could reunite McCollum with Jamel Dean after trading away Porter, while the Lions urgently need more talent in their secondary.
The Bears and Bengals could also make particular sense given McCollum’s superior man coverage work (69.4 PFF coverage grade) and their higher rates of utilizing the look, although McCollum was actually better in zone in 2024 and 2025. Raiders general manager John Spytek may make some calls to his former organization, too.”
The other corner mentioned for Cincinnati is New York Jets defender Brandon Stephens, who has played well enough to draw attention despite the Jets’ 1-3 start. PFF wrote: “Stephens has become an effective cornerback since joining the Jets last offseason.
Since the start of 2025, his 70.2 overall PFF grade ranks 14 th out of 40 qualified corners. Stephens has also tightened up his coverage this year, with his 74.4 PFF coverage mark the ninth-highest at the position.
“How much the 1-3 Jets will sell is unknown, but general manager Darren Mougey always seems open for business. Given that Stephens is a 2028 free agent and the team drafted D’Angelo Ponds in the second round, a trade may not be that implausible. Pittsburgh and Detroit could have interest given their needs, while Stephens’ 88.7 man coverage grade would be enticing to Chicago and Cincinnati.”
A midseason defensive move would go against the Bengals’ history, at least as it’s been described here. Still, the fit is easy to see: this defense could use a veteran linebacker and some help in the secondary.
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