Playing armchair GM is one of the greatest pastimes for NFL fans and sports media folk like me. When it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals, a lot of us in Who Dey Nation feel we could do better than Duke Tobin by chucking darts at a figurative draft/free agent board while blindfolded.
Not that every personnel move the Bengals have made in recent years is disastrous. It's just that, well, the draft has left something to be desired. Let's leave it there.
Long story short, the trade deadline is coming on Nov. 4. Now that the Bengals are far better situated in the AFC standings after Week 7, they should be buyers, not potential Trey Hendrickson sellers.
Bengals need to trade for Dolphins Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb
The Miami Dolphins fell to 1-6 on Sunday after an embarrassing 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns. You know, Joe Flacco's old team! Miami is in a total tailspin, and it'd behoove GM Chris Grier to have a fire sale of sorts leading up to the NFL's trade ultimatum.
Considering that the Fins invested a first-round pick in Chop Robinson last year, they should be in the market to offload one of their other pass-rushers. To me, that's more realistic than dealing away an elite tailback like De'Von Achane, or their only WR1-caliber pass-catcher in Jaylen Waddle.
Maybe Miami would get more back in exchange for either of those players. Then again, offloading edge defender Jaelan Phillips to an interested buyer would at least net the Dolphins something. Phillips is a pending free agent and could walk this offseason for nothing in return.
Trading for Phillips would mean some sort of contract restructuring, or a corresponding deal to free up enough cap space. Well worth it to me. If anything, too, Phillips' lengthy injury history should only drive down his trade price to, say, a Day 3 pick or thereabouts.
Speaking of leverage, there's the case of veteran Bradley Chubb to think on.
Were the Bengals to trade for Chubb, per OverTheCap.com, he'd have cap figures of only $20.2 million in 2026 and $19.3 million the following year. He's liable to be a post-June 1 salary cap casualty for the Fins anyway.
No trade rumors that I've seen link Phillips or Chubb to Cincinnati. Just look at all the signs, though. The Bengals need somebody to rush the passer other than Hendrickson. Nobody on the roster now is getting it done.
Rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart is working his way back from an injury and still looks raw as can be. Cincinnati's group in the defensive trenches had Aaron Rodgers scrambling all over Paycor Stadium this past Thursday like he was in his prime.
Joseph Ossai has 2 wins now on 23 rushes.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) October 17, 2025
Murphy, Stewart, and Sample have combined for 43 rushes and 0 wins.
They are going to need some sign of life from their recent first round picks to close out this game. https://t.co/aLBpwvUiKW
Rather than riding it out for the rest of 2025 with underachieving Bengals draftees in Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, and Cam Sample, why not swing a deal for Phillips or Chubb?
With the way things are trending in Miami, Phillips isn't playing his way into some mega contract on the open market with two sacks through seven games. He'll have plenty of incentive to get after it in a Bengals uniform — and more help thanks to Hendrickson.
Chubb has actually matched Hendrickson's total of four sacks thus far. He's a clear upgrade as a starting defensive end. Plus, Cincinnati could slightly sweeten his existing contract, have a built-in veteran contingency plan for Hendrickson, and put wind in the Dolphins' sails cost-wise as they move toward a rebuild.
Tell me I'm wrong. This makes too much sense not to happen. Duke Tobin just has to have the will to act like he did on the Joe Flacco trade.