The Bengals don’t have the luxury of standing pat at the NFL trade deadline.
Running back may be the name that gets fans talking, and Jonathan Taylor from the Indianapolis Colts would certainly qualify as the splashiest idea on the board. But Cincinnati has bigger issues than chasing a “blockbuster” at one spot while other holes keep widening.
The most obvious problem is on the defensive front. Rookie breakout Cashius Howell needed surgery after getting hurt in the win over the Tennessee Titans, and Cedric Johnson is dealing with an injury as well. That leaves Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe set to absorb most of the snaps, with Shemar Stewart potentially getting some work too.
The Bengals can use this moment to test Stewart and see what they have in him, but that comes with a catch. The former first-rounder has been a healthy scratch lately. A trade for a veteran who can bring proven production and deepen the rotation would help the defense stay fresher and ease the load on everyone else.
Cornerback is another spot that deserves attention. The DJ Turner injury update brought good news, but Jalen Davis and Ja’Sir Taylor remain on injured reserve.
Josh Newton has been uneven in the slot and has been more erratic than not overall, while the team still isn’t handing rookie Tacario Davis snaps. The ideal setup would keep Turner and Dax Hill on the boundary, and more depth at a premium position like this would only help.
Linebacker might be the most concerning of all. The Bengals keep insisting Demetirus Knight and Barrett Carter are the answer, but the results haven’t backed that up.
Oren Burks and Joe Giles-Harris bring value on special teams, yet neither is a high-end option in the base defense. Swayze Bozeman is also on injured reserve.
It’s not a stretch to say Cincinnati is one very good linebacker away from looking like a true contender. Knight and Carter are so often part of an opponent’s gameplan because of missed tackles and poor positioning that the Bengals would be justified in paying a significant price for a proven starter.
Tight end, though, may be the quietest major need of all. Erick All Jr. is out for the year again, and Tanner Hudson is on injured reserve too.
Drew Sample is now the No. 1 option, while Mike Gesicki functions more like a slot wideout. Rookie Jack Endries caught a touchdown last week, and the Bengals brought back Cam Grandy on waivers.
Still, the overall picture is thin. The talk around All being an important part of the offense wasn’t overstated, and Cincinnati needs another versatile veteran there to keep its packages and concepts varied. The depth at the position is simply below average, and there should be plenty of names available at the right price before the deadline.
In Other News...
Chase Brown Is Giving The Bengals Something This Offense Needs
The Bengals needed a steady hand out of the backfield in their overtime win over the Titans, and Chase Brown kept giving them exactly that. He was involved as both a runner and a receiver, finishing with eight catches for 46 yards and 12 carries for 55 yards, the kind of workload that shows how much the offense is leaning on him in key moments.
What has made Brown more than just a useful change-of-pace option is the growing trust around him in pass protection, which has become a real factor in how Cincinnati can deploy its offense. With the Bengals looking for stability behind the line and more balance in the backfield, Browns expanded role feels like one of the more important developments to watch as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Dexter Lawrence Is Carrying A Bengals Defense Fans Still Can't Trust
Dexter Lawrence was all over the field in the Bengals overtime win against the Titans, the kind of disruptive night that can tilt a game even when the rest of the defense still feels shaky. He finished with 5 run stops, 2 pressures, a sack, a fumble recovery and 7 total tackles, and he kept drawing double teams while still finding ways to affect the pocket and the run game.
For Cincinnati, the encouraging part is obvious: one of its most important defensive pieces is playing at a high level and showing up in the biggest moments. The frustrating part is just as clear, because the Bengals still have enough issues around him that one standout performance does not erase the larger trust problem on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face Trade Deadline Pressure To Fix Two Key Weaknesses
With the trade deadline approaching, the Bengals are being pushed to look hard at two spots that have drawn attention all season: running back and outside linebacker. Cincinnati has reportedly been weighing roster upgrades, and the conversation has already turned to names that could help balance out the offense and give the defense a little more juice off the edge.
One league observer has pointed to Tampa Bay running back Kenneth Gainwell and Washington edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson as possible fits, which at least shows the kind of profile Cincinnati may be chasing. Gainwell landed with the Buccaneers on a new deal after leaving Pittsburgh, while Chaisson has flashed pass-rushing ability on a short-term contract in Washington, leaving the Bengals with a familiar deadline question: whether the right move is available now, and how aggressive they want to be in fixing both problems. [Read more 🡒]