Bengals' roadmap to highly-coveted draft prospect just got real blurry

It behooves the Cincinnati Bengals to take any of the top defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL draft seriously. They need all the help they can get on that side of the ball, and the 10th overall pick presents an opportunity to acquire a rookie who could really aid the cause.

Among the top targets for Cincinnati is Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., who was a dominant force off the edge in college. Bain had 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 2025, and is expected to hear his name called early in the first round come draft night.

However, a blockbuster trade and big news specifically related to Bain at the NFL Scouting Combine has underscored just how complicated it might be for the Bengals to land him in April.

T'Vondre Sweat trade & one key metric send mixed signals on Rueben Bain Jr. to Bengals buzz

Off-field concerns prevented the Bengals from drafting T'Vondre Sweat out of Texas two years ago. Sweat ultimately went 38th overall to the Titans, and he's established himself as one of the NFL's premeir nose tackles in short order.

However, Tennessee's new head coach, Robert Saleh, supposedly didn't deem Sweat a long-term fit with the team. Hence his decision to reunite with past New York Jets first-round pick Jermaine Johnson in a rare player-for-player trade on Thursday, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Johnson will start on the edge for Saleh, the ex-Jets head coach who prides himself on his defensive fronts. It says a lot about Sweat — not a lot good, mind you — that Saleh moved off him, despite the golden opportunity to proceed with an elite nose tackle in Sweat and an even better player next to him in Jeffery Simmons.

Either Sweat's character flaws are still a major red flag, or Saleh is just making the ultimate "MY GUY" move. Whatever the case, weird vibes on that deal.

Anyway, Sweat's arrival in New York, combined with Johnson's departure, suggests the Jets could be in the market for an edge defender with the second overall pick. PFF draft expert Trevor Sikkema believes Johnson's departure paves the way for Bain to don a Jets uniform.

Although current Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was a cornerback as an ex-NFL player, a big reason he got the Jets' coaching gig was thanks to his strong run as the Lions' defensive coordinator. They emphasized building through the trenches.

Given the sort of "dawg" mentality that Glenn is all about, rooted in his playing experience and his Detroit tenure under the "GRIT" mindset of Dan Campbell, Bain seems to fit like a glove in New York.

But then, the second big piece of Bain-centric news dropped not long thereafter.

Courtesy of NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, Bain's arm measurements came in as low as expected, confirming the main drawback that complicates his draft evaluation:

The draftnik community is kind of all over the place on Bain because of his short arms. Whereas Sikkema sees Bain as worthy of the second overall pick, prior to Thursday's official arm measurement, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. mock picked Bain for the Bengals at No. 10.

A little more context on Bain's 30 7/8-inch arms, via ESPN's Matt Miller:

I personally think Bain is worth drafting for the Bengals if he's there at 10th overall. The lack of length doesn't bother me because of how powerful Bain is at the point of attack. He plays with a violence and technical prowess that should translate to the NFL right away.

Bain's T. rex arms could lead the Jets to draft Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey or Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese second overall instead. That could force Bain down the board to Cincinnati's range.

What do y'all Who Dey Heads think? While I dig Bain and like him over Bailey, I'd much rather the Bengals draft Caleb Downs or Sonny Styles to bolster their defense. I'd even take USC slot receiver Makai Lemon, Notre Dame tailback Jeremiyah Love, or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq over Bain.