Don’t be surprised if Bengals trade out of first round in 2022 NFL Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals hold the No. 31 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. This is the latest they’ve picked in quite some time and it’s a new feeling for sure, as the team held top five picks in each of the last two drafts.

Picking so late in the first round is tricky and it’s why the Bengals could be a strong contender to trade out of round one.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed the most likely picks to be traded and the Bengals’ 31st overall selection made the cut.

Knox wrote:

"The Cincinnati Bengals, meanwhile, are well-suited to trade down from 31st overall. Unlike the Lions, who own the 32nd pick, Cincinnati has a Super Bowl-caliber roster. The Bengals can augment that roster in free agency with a projected $48.8 million in cap space.Cincinnati should head into the draft with a fairly complete team and a focus on depth over any one position of need.The Bengals will almost certainly have their phone lines open as the first night draws to a close."

Not only would I not be surprised to see this happen on draft night, but it wouldn’t shock me if the stripes had traded their first-round selection before we even get to draft night. This is a team with a ton of strong needs, especially on the offensive line, and they might have to part with their first-round pick in order to land premier talent.

Could Cincinnati Bengals trade their first-round pick?

We’re still a whole two months out from the 2022 NFL Draft so that gives Cincinnati plenty of time to figure out how they want to approach the draft. We know this franchise values its draft picks and after seeing the past few drafts, we know why. They’ve built a solid foundation with those picks and wouldn’t be where they are without making those selections.

Having a pick so close to the end of the first round though is essentially holding an early second-round selection. If a team comes calling to jump into the first round on draft night, the Bengals might very well consider waiting until Friday evening to make their first pick of the draft.