The Cincinnati Bengals have been slowly sliding down the power rankings after the first two weeks. Cincy went 2-0 before a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which the defense and special teams were a problem, and then a loss to the Jaguars, where the offense was the problem.
Zac Taylor has a lot to ponder before Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, part of which should be 'how can I upgrade this roster'. Look, the Bengals have a much improved defense on last year, but there's still room for improvement, and the offense looks significantly worse than last season, despite the offensive line's improvement.
But what should Taylor prioritize, and what could, come the trade deadline on Tuesday, November 10, be improved about this Bengals roster which could help Joe Burrow go and win a championship?
Running Back
Chase Brown is a decent running back. He's shown that he has all the tools to be an efficient rusher and also a threat in the passing game, but something isn't working. In the Bengals' loss to Jacksonville, Brown had just 10 rushing yards on nine carries, and over the season, he has only averaged 3.6 yards per carry with just one touchdown.
It's not that the Bengals should trade for someone to replace Brown, but perhaps to complement him. Brown isn't your average bell-cow running back; he's 5' 10" and 210 pounds, which is great for agility and speed, but he's not going to be a bruiser like Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson or David Montgomery - perhaps that's what this run game needs, as well as Brown's explosiveness.
Potential trade targets: Braelon Allen (Jets), Kendre Miller (Saints), Tyler Allgeier (Cardinals)
Wide Receiver
If you'd said before the season that the Bengals should trade for a receiver, everyone would have thought you were mad, but why not? Burrow already has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, provided they aren't out for long, but behind them, there's not much.
Andrei Iosivas is injured, which leaves just Dohnte Meyers and Mitchell Tinsley. Burrow should have more to work with. Remember, this is a Bengals team which is meant to be in win-now mode, so why not show it further and go out and get Burrow another playmaker?
Potential trade targets: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), Quentin Johnston (Chargers)
Safety
Moving onto defense, it does look so much better this season. For one, the Bengals have shown they can get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and they've gone from being one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL, to a competitive unit.
However, missed tackles remain a problem. It's a problem at safety, as Jordan Battle, PJ Jules and Kyle Dugger have struggled. Bryan Cook has looked good so far, but he was inactive against the Jags with an ankle injury, and if he misses any more time, it could be a real issue in that secondary.
Potential trade targets: Amani Hooker (Titans), Andrew Wingard (Cardinals), Jessie Bates III (Falcons)
Let's bring Jessie Bates home...
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