Trading back with the first pick; while it’s not the sexiest move in the world, it’s a move the Cincinnati Bengals have made before.
There’s a chance the board doesn’t go the Bengals’ way this year. Karlaftis, Booth, Elam, and Linderbaum ALL could be gone by the time Cincinnati is on the clock.
Trading back is the most reasonable next step.
Here are three teams who might be interested in making a deal with Cincinnati:
3. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders could go in many directions in this years’ draft. After trading for Carson Wentz, it seems as if their quarterback situation is at least settled for this upcoming season, but don’t rule out this team wanting to take a quarterback in the first round.
The Commanders’ first-round pick is right outside the top 10, at pick 11. Malik Willis is the only quarterback who even sniffs a top-10 projection, and even that feels like a stretch. Basically, don’t expect the Commanders to go quarterback with pick 11.
Desmond Ridder makes the most sense for the Commanders, as they need a pro-style quarterback who is secure with the football.
The Commanders could easily send a haul of future draft capital on top of their second-round pick (pick 47) to acquire pick 31 from Cincinnati, but that’s no fun for the Bengals. The years of building for the future in Cincinnati are over; this team is officially in win-now mode.
Kendall Fuller would be a name to watch out for in a trade with Cincinnati. After signing William Jackson last offseason, Washington has a large amount of money invested in the cornerback position. Trading Fuller would free up $11 million for a team that just took on a massive contract at starting quarterback.
Even if it means reversing the narrative and giving up future draft capital, the Bengals shouldn’t be afraid to make this move. Fuller would fill a big need on the perimeter of our secondary, and the Bengals would still have two second-round picks to attack the best players available.