Tag: Bengals trades

NFL personnel discuss what Bengals could get in Ja’Marr Chase trade

No, a Ja’Marr Chase trade isn’t happening, but the NFL world is talking about it.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t trading Ja’Marr Chase.

That big disclaimer out of the way, the NFL world is currently busy at work wondering how the Bengals might be able to re-open the Super Bowl window that was slammed shut after this year’s 4-8 start.

In doing so, Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame suggested the Bengals emulate the Kansas City Chiefs when that franchise traded away Tyreek Hill and got first-, second-, and fourth-round picks that year while avoiding paying up on a big contract.

Verderame spoke with anonymous NFL personnel on the topic of similar compensation for Chase.

“I would think so,” one NFC talent evaluator said. “He’s a better overall player and I would guess less baggage and younger at the time of the trade.”

It’s all a moot point, though. Chase would command the same or more compensation in a trade, just as he’ll reset the market on his deal this upcoming offseason.

The Bengals hurt themselves badly this past offseason by not paying Chase, a messy situation that bled into this year. Chase felt misled by the team, and his agent has taken public victory laps over his performance (1,142 yards and 13 touchdowns over 12 games), dramatically boosting his asking price.

And while it’s true the Bengals need to find ways to also pay guys like Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, there are plenty of ways to create more cap space via cuts.

If the Bengals do anything out of character like this, it would be applying a second consecutive franchise tag on Higgins, which could perhaps then lead to a tag-and-trade scenario. That would be one way to stockpile assets and reload on the defensive side of the football.

The Bengals entertaining a deal like the one the Chiefs did with Hill might work on 31 other teams. But not in Cincinnati, where the Joe Burrow-Chase dynamic is unique. And moving a star offensive player to rebuild the defense sounds good…until one realizes just how many droves of assets the team has poured into the defense over the last few years, only for it to be a colossal failure.

Meaning: Big changes are coming. But trading Chase won’t be considered for even a second.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals make roster moves after NFL trade deadline

Some roster moves and injured reserve news for the Bengals right after the NFL trade deadline.

The Cincinnati Bengals made some notable roster moves after Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline saw them bring aboard running back Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears.

There, the team moved running back Zack Moss and tight end Erick All Jr. to injured reserve.

Based on how the team has talked about Moss’ sudden neck injury — discovered last Friday — he won’t be back this season, barring a shocker.

As for All, the breakout rookie tight end tore his ACL during last weekend’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders, suffering the injury in the same knee that derailed his draft stock last year.

Herbert’s arrival helps balance things out for the offense with Moss sidelined, as he’ll work in with Chase Brown, potentially as soon as Thursday night. Tight end was one of the team’s deepest positions, though they might look for help on something like the waiver wire if they want to keep effectively running 12 personnel.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals silent at NFL trade deadline despite rumored interest in help

The Bengals started hot, then fell quiet at the NFL trade deadline.

It turns out the Cincinnati Bengals trading for running back Khalil Herbert was not a sign of things to come for the team at the NFL trade deadline.

The Bengals sat still at the deadline despite obvious needs along the defensive line and at other positions.

It was a bit strange, considering The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported roughly one hour before the deadline that the team was on the hunt for help on the interior of that defensive line.

Despite expiring contract names like Calais Campbell and Chase Young out there on middling teams, the Bengals didn’t get something done.

Barring an arrival via free agency or waiver wire, the Bengals will stick with the roster they have and hope to make a playoff push. That starts on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

NFL analyst would ‘love to see’ Bengals WR Tee Higgins trade to Steelers

Bengals fans probably wouldn’t love this trade.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t trading Tee Higgins.

That’s perhaps the most-written sentence about the Bengals here and elsewhere over the course of the last year.

And yet, that won’t stop the ideas from pouring in ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Case in point, when outlining deals he would love to see, USA Today’s Tyler Dragon lists the Bengals sending Higgins to the Pittsburgh Steelers as one of the top six:

Higgins is a strong receiver, has a good catch radius and is comfortable playing as the X or Z receiver.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said before that he’s not in the business of making other teams better, and the Bengals certainly don’t want to do business with a division rival. But Higgins would be an excellent fit in Pittsburgh’s offensive system and form a great pairing with George Pickens.

Bengals fans, undoubtedly, would not love to see that one.

It’s a lopsided idea in the sense that it stresses how fun it would be to see Higgins in Pittsburgh’s offense, which is fair. Higgins would be an ideal fit there and give the Steelers a reliable weapon they can’t seem to draft well, considering the risks that franchise takes at the position that tends to backfire.

But that makes this more interesting from a free-agency perspective next offseason, not at this year’s deadline.

The Bengals won’t trade away Higgins for pretty much any offer. The offense is simply much better when he’s on the field and there’s still the slim chance they can get him back on a long-term deal next summer. Unlikely, but rest assured the front office thinks that way.

And the Bengals especially wouldn’t trade Higgins within the division. They might have to line up twice per year against him if he chooses the Steelers in free agency next summer, but the Bengals wouldn’t intentionally do that to themselves, anyway.

To top it all off, Higgins is hurt again anyway and the team’s win-now trade move on Tuesday morning shows that the Bengals are all-in as buyers, not sellers.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals ‘not done’ at NFL trade deadline after Khalil Herbert deal

The Bengals aren’t done yet at the NFL trade deadline.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t done with the NFL trade deadline just yet, despite making a deal with the Chicago Bears for running back Khalil Herbert.

So says a new report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini: “The Cincinnati Bengals trade with the Bears to get running back Khalil Herbert, and I was told they’re not done. Cincinnati continues to look around the league for an addition on defense.”

Russini was one of several reporters saying that the Bengals will be buyers at the deadline, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

If the Bengals make another move, it figures to happen on that side of the ball. Cornerback depth is an issue and getting Trey Hendrickson some pass-rushing help figures to be a priority.

While there aren’t many affordable corners on the trade block right now, there are plenty of pass-rushers. Expect that to be the move, should the Bengals break their historical ways again with another win-now deal.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Khalil Herbert contract details after Bengals trade for RB

Contract details for new Bengals running back Khalil Herbert.

The Cincinnati Bengals filled the hole left by the injury to Zack Moss by trading for Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears.

Herbert is in the final year of his rookie contract after originally being drafted by the Bears in the sixth round in 2021. The Bengals should take on just over $555,000 in base salary for Herbert, as the Bears have already taken care of about half of his $1.05 million total salary for this season after playing eight games. The Bengals will owe for the remaining nine games.

The Bengals only had to flip a seventh-round pick to the Bears to facilitate the trade. Herbert has recently been a healthy scratch for the Bears as D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson have handled the workload for Chicago.

The Bengals should still have about $8.5 million in cap space even after this trade — enough to make another move or two.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Khalil Herbert quickly made it clear how he feels about trade to Bengals

Khalil Herbert issues a message after the big Bengals trade.

New Cincinnati Bengals running back Khalil Herbert didn’t waste time sending a message after news of his trade broke.

Herbert posted a simple message on social media a mere minutes after the news went public: “Thank you God 🙏🏾🐅 #WhoDey.”

Hard to blame Herbert, a former sixth-round pick who wasn’t getting a ton of looks on a 4-4 Chicago Bears squad.

Now, Herbert arrives on a contender and projects to have a big role in Joe Burrow’s offense as early as this Thursday in Baltimore. He’ll be an immediate rotational piece with Chase Brown now that Zack Moss is out for an extended period of time.

Herbert can rest assured that Bengals fans feel the same way after the front office made a stunningly rare decision to acquire talent at the trade deadline.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Instant analysis after Bengals trade for Bears RB Khalil Herbert

The Bengals make a splash at the NFL trade deadline.

The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have much of a choice at the NFL trade deadline, making a splash by acquiring Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert.

Cincinnati, facing the loss of Zack Moss for an extended time, traded a seventh-round pick for Herbert.

Herbert, a sixth-round pick in 2021, is an ideal fit in the Joe Burrow-led offense. He averages 4.8 yards per carry for his career and has caught 45 passes through the air.

This is a net massive win for the Bengals, as Herbert has one year left on his current deal and it checks in at less than $1 million.

It’s refreshing to see the Bengals get aggressive like this, even if it is just trading away a late-round pick. The front office doesn’t usually acquire players at the deadline, so this is a big deal.

And, if nothing else, it beats the typical “acquire a practice squad player” or sign a free agent off the street who might not be ready. Herbert is and should be able to immediately rotate with Chase Brown, perhaps as early as this Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Herbert was one of many running backs listed as potential additions for the Bengals at the deadline.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

4 RB Bengals can acquire near NFL trade deadline after Zack Moss injury

The Bengals could look to the trade deadline or free agency for help at running back.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Cincinnati Bengals had a need at running back before Zack Moss’ serious injury.

Moss and Chase Brown were an effective duo, yet the Bengals couldn’t reasonably go with a two-deep rotation for 17 games, if not more.

Now that Brown is the lone workhorse, the position becomes an even bigger need before the NFL trade deadline. Here are some names who might be available.

UPDATE: The Bengals traded for Khalil Herbert on Tuesday morning before the deadline. 

Khalil Herbert, Bears

Herbert has fallen out of favor in Chicago, yet he is still the guy who averages 4.8 yards per carry on his career. He’s also caught 45 passes with two scores. He’s on the last year of his rookie deal, too, so the Bengals can play the short or long game with him, depending on how things go.

 

Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars

The former first-round pick could be a big part of a fire sale for the Jaguars. He’s way out of favor in Jacksonville as the Tank Bigsby breakout happens. But Etienne might just need a change of scenery and averages of 4.4 yards per carry and 8.0 yards per catch could jump in a Joe Burrow offense. He’s got one more year on his rookie contract at roughly $6 million.

 

Chuba Hubbard, Panthers

Everyone seems to list Miles Sanders as the running back Carolina might trade. But his contract is too much for the Bengals. A guy like Chuba Hubbard, though, might make more sense. The former fourth-rounder averages better than four yards per carry and just hit up the Bengals for 104 yards and a score back in late September. He’s on an expiring contract, too.

 

Jeff Wilson, Dolphins

Wilson is an explosive back simply buried in a logjam with the Dolphins. But he averages 4.5 yards per carry on his career and is a proven option in the passing game. Like the others, he wouldn’t cost too much to acquire and is on an expiring contract.

 

Free agents

  • Jerick McKinnon
  • James Robinson
  • Matt Breida

These are simply some names to keep in mind should the Bengals choose to look on the open market. Trading for one of the above names might be a better option, but the price has to be right for both parties.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals open to adding at an unexpected position before NFL trade deadline

A new report says the Bengals have reached out about a new position.

When a report broke that the Cincinnati Bengals could be buyers at the NFL trade deadline, the focus was on the pass-rush and cornerback positions.

But let’s add an offensive position to the list, too.

After Cincinnati’s Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Bengals have either been in touch with other teams about running backs, or discussed how to add another.

That’s actually a pretty bad sign about the new injury to starter Zack Moss, who suffered a neck issue on Friday before the win over the Raiders and was inactive.

The Bengals could look to simply add a running back via free agency or the waiver wire, too. But with it seeming like Moss needs to miss notable time, the team understands that Chase Brown can’t take 27 carries and five catches like he did on Sunday and remain healthy for the entire season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]