The Bengals are being floated as a surprise name to watch ahead of the NFL trade deadline, but not for the kind of splashy move fans usually dream up.
Cincinnati has been linked in theory to bigger swings at positions like running back, with names such as Jonathan Taylor out there and Tony Pollard viewed as the cleaner fit. Still, the sense here is that the Bengals are more likely to make a modest move, if they make one at all, and the defensive side could come first.
That’s where Bucky Brooks of NFL.com comes in. He pointed to New York Jets edge Will McDonald IV as a possible trade target for Cincinnati.
“The 6-4, 245-pounder has flashed disruptive potential with 23.5 career sacks and four forced fumbles in 54 games, but a surplus of pass rushers on the roster could prompt GM Darren Mougey to trade him away for draft capital to help in the rebuild,” Brooks wrote. “Although such a move might lead to some quizzical looks, the desire to stockpile the war chest with picks could make it sensible enough for the Jets' decision-makers to pull the trigger.”
On paper, the Bengals don’t exactly look desperate for help at defensive end. Former first-round pick Shemar Stewart couldn’t even get onto the active roster last week.
Even so, McDonald would bring real production. The former top-15 pick had 10.5 sacks in 2024 and added eight more in 2025, and he already has his fifth-year option picked up. That part alone makes the idea more intriguing.
So while this doesn’t read like a move Cincinnati needs, it does look like the kind of deal the Bengals would at least consider if the price dropped enough for a rebuilding Jets team to part with him.
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For Cincinnati, the issue is not just need, but price. Taylor would bring name value and upside, but the cost is shaping up to be steep enough that the Bengals are unlikely to jump in. Instead, they may have to look for a more realistic fit on the trade market, with Tony Pollard emerging as the kind of option that better matches their budget and roster priorities. [Read more 🡒]