The Cincinnati Bengals saw both of the 2023 draft’s top running backs come off the board well before their pick at No. 28, which they used on defensive pass-rusher Myles Murphy.
Running back remains a top need for the team to hit, either during the two-round Friday night or four-round Saturday event.
But what about a trade?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler just reported that the Detroit Lions are receiving trade calls on D’Andre Swift.
It’s an interesting one to consider. Swift, a second-round pick in 2020, is still just 24 years old and over three seasons has shown flashes, scoring 18 touchdowns on a 4.6 average as a runner and catching 156 passes with seven more touchdowns.
A pass-catching specialist, Swift would notably fill that Samaje Perine void in a tandem with Joe Mixon. He’d be cheap to acquire via trade too — the Lions paid David Montgomery in free agency, then drafted Jahmyr Gibbs with the sixth pick.
The fact Swift enters 2023 on the final year of his rookie contract might make this unappealing for some — that would mean needing to draft a back again next offseason or possibly pay him a bigger cap hit. But the cost to actually get him for one season would be a late-round pick at best.
Swift has yet to play a full season in the NFL due to injuries, but he’s sort of a discount Austin Ekeler idea who could bring the same element to the backfield at a much cheaper cost. There’s some big value in his familiarity with the pro game too vs. the inexperience of a rookie, given that the team wants to win Super Bowls right now.
Which is to say that yes, the Bengals should be one of the teams calling the Lions and at least asking about the price.
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