The Cincinnati Bengals head into the offseason with a clear mission: fix the defense. The offensive core - Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown - is in place and ready to roll.
Sure, adding more protection up front wouldn’t hurt, but the real work lies on the other side of the ball. The pass rush needs juice, and the interior defensive line could use a serious upgrade.
That’s where a trade proposal involving veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark comes into play. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell floated the idea of a low-risk deal between Cincinnati and Dallas: the Bengals receive Clark and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2027 sixth-rounder. A classic late-round swap with a potentially big payoff.
Clark, now 31, landed in Dallas last year in a blockbuster deal. He’s got two seasons left on his current contract, with cap hits of $21.5 million and $20 million in 2026 and 2027, respectively. That price tag - combined with his age - makes him a more realistic trade target than a younger, high-upside player like Quinnen Williams.
But don’t let the age fool you. Clark still brings value.
He wrapped up the 2025 season with three sacks, 36 total tackles, and six tackles for loss. Not eye-popping numbers, but solid production from a veteran who knows how to anchor the middle.
He’s a three-time Pro Bowler with a decade of NFL experience, most of it spent in Green Bay before his stint in Dallas.
For a Bengals defense that struggled to stop the run and lacked consistent interior pressure, Clark could be a stabilizing force. Pairing him with T.J.
Slaton Jr. and B.J. Hill would give Cincinnati a more formidable rotation inside - something they’ve sorely lacked.
It’s not a flashy move, but it’s the kind of smart, calculated addition that could quietly raise the floor of Lou Anarumo’s defense.
Bottom line: the Bengals need help at every level of the defense, and shoring up the trenches is a great place to start. If they can land a proven veteran like Clark for a simple Day 3 pick swap, it’s the kind of win-now move that makes sense for a team built to compete - provided the cap math works out.