The Cincinnati Bengals have been more willing to trade during the NFL draft in the Zac Taylor era than in the past.
And lost in ESPN’s annual “every pick is a trade” mock draft, there’s actually a really compelling case made for the Bengals to make a trade.
Specifically, Bill Barnwell carves out a trade down for the Bengals with the Packers in which they move down to No. 25 and give away No. 97, also picking up No. 58 in the process:
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I would argue the Bengals should consider trading down given how well the deepest parts of this draft hit their roster: They’ll need replacements for Higgins, Trent Brown and Mike Hilton as soon as 2025, and getting an extra second-round pick to address those spots in the lineup won’t hurt. Given Brown’s injury history, adding a swing tackle should be a priority.
It’s a very realistic depiction of something that could happen on draft day if the Bengals like the way the board falls. Surrendering one of their two third-round picks to gain another pick in the top 60 would be a no-brainer of a move.
Like the drafting of Dax Hill a year before Jessie Bates left, the Bengals will be on the hunt for key long-term players. If say, multiple offensive tackles they like are on the board at No. 18, they could easily pull off this type of move to add more blue-chip prospects in key areas.
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