The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have to sit out the NFL trade deadline just because they’re 4-2.
After an offseason that showed a much more aggressive front office, there’s a case for pushing again rather than settling in. The defense has gotten a major boost from its new additions, and if the Bengals want to keep the momentum rolling, they could be one smart deadline move away from looking even more complete.
The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, sit at 0-6 and look like an obvious team to watch if the deadline starts moving players out the door. Bolt Beat’s Alex Insdorf laid out 10 possible names who could be available, along with what each might cost. Two of the most intriguing for Cincinnati: Tuli Tuipulotu and Keaton Mitchell.
Tuipulotu is the more ambitious swing, but he also fits a problem the Bengals may soon have to solve. Myles Murphy is headed for free agency after this season and has started to look like a movable piece.
Shemar Stewart, meanwhile, hasn’t lived up to the billing, and being a healthy scratch after going 17th overall is not exactly a glowing sign. The Bengals have some uncomfortable questions coming on the edge, and Tuipulotu would offer a real answer if he ever became available.
Insdorf believes the Chargers may be reluctant to part with him, and says the price would likely be a second- or third-round pick:
"The Chargers had all summer to get a deal done with Tuli Tuipulotu. They didn't.
For that reason, teams will still try to call on the productive EDGE rusher. Tuipulotu in theory is the most valuable asset the Chargers have on this list.
He's now up to 19 pressures and two sacks on the season. He's still just 24 years old after a full rookie contract in the league.
Sure, in theory that's a second or third-round pick player type of cost."
That’s a steep ask, but Tuipulotu’s production makes the idea tempting. The Chargers never extended him after back-to-back seasons of 8.5 and 13 sacks, and if they aren’t planning to pay him, the Bengals could make sense as a landing spot.
Mitchell, though, feels like the cleaner fit.
Cincinnati’s backfield has enough juice to be interesting, but not enough burst to truly scare defenses. Chase Brown flashes explosion, but he hasn’t been able to consistently make defenders miss.
Samaje Perine brings steadiness, not a take-it-to-the-house gear. Both are also set to hit free agency after the season.
Mitchell would bring the kind of speed that changes the math.
Insdorf’s read is that Mitchell may be a better fit for Cincinnati’s running game, even if he comes with some cost attached:
"Mitchell has had a decent season with 35 carries for 139 yards and a receiving TD. But he has yet to really find his footing on the outside zone rushing looks that McDaniel intended to use him in.
Contractually, Mitchell has a $6.1 million cap hit next season. But he also doesn't have any guaranteed salary.
The Chargers would save $4.25 million against the cap in 2027 if they were to move on from Mitchell via cut."
That’s the kind of player the Bengals should be looking at if they want a back who can tilt the field. Insdorf estimates the price at a sixth-round pick, and that’s hard to ignore.
Mitchell would bring serious speed to a Bengals offense that already has Joe Burrow and just needs a little more juice in the run game to round into form. He’s only 24, he’s not carrying a heavy workload, and the wear-and-tear concern isn’t really there.
There’s also the reminder of what he can do against Cincinnati. Last year with the Ravens, Mitchell ran for 85 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in two games against the Bengals.
He averaged 8.4 yards per carry and finished his rookie season in 2023 with 396 yards before a torn ACL cut it short. Even with that injury history, the appeal is obvious if the price stays as low as a sixth-rounder.
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