Bengals should trade two recent first-round picks before other core players

Currently, there is considerable discussion about whether the Cincinnati Bengals should trade Trey Hendrickson, Cam Taylor-Britt, and/or Logan Wilson.

Yes, the Bengals should be active at the NFL trade deadline. However, the names that they should consider moving off the roster are not the ones discussed.

Desperate times call for drastic measures. And these are the most drastic of times for a Cincinnati team that should do something, anything, to at least show the fan base and the players that the front office is making an effort to get the team back to where it needs to be.

Furthermore, the person in charge of the following proposed trade decisions should not be the de facto general manager, Duke Tobin.

Proverbial writing meets proverbial wall meets Shemar Stewart

The first drastic and eyebrow-raising move that the Bengals should consider at the trade deadline is moving on from their 2025 first-round pick, Shemar Stewart.

Stewart was not an inspiring pick for the team or the fan base. His lack of college production was alarming. Furthermore, when you watch the actual film and see him play, you understand precisely why he had such low production numbers.

Nevertheless, most draftniks still listed Stewart as a first-round prospect due to his athletic profile. Some even tried gaslighting those of us with eyes by saying he was possibly the best pass rusher in this year's draft class. How they came to that conclusion while watching his film is dumbfounding.

And the results are bearing out in 4K.

Nevertheless, most “experts” saw him as a first-round pick. There were draft services and NFL teams that valued him so much that he received an invitation to the NFL draft in Green Bay.

Therefore, there should exist teams that need pass rushers and who may consider Stewart as a potential upgrade or future star. Cincinnati could get a third-round pick or a pick swap that nets them a second-round selection.

Either way, the Bengals should find said teams and let Stewart become a star with another franchise.

Trading away Stewart would result in a dead cap hit of $7,826,877.

Myles Murphy is who we thought he was, and the Bengals need to catch on

Another radical move would be to trade away Cincinnati's disappointing 2023 first-round draft pick, Myles Murphy.

It was clear from his college film that Murphy was not a prolific pass rusher. We hoped he would develop into a facsimile of Sam Hubbard. But even that turns out to be an insult to the Bengals' recently retired defensive end.

In his 2.5 years in the league, Murphy has appeared in 39 games, recording 4.5 sacks, nine QB hits, and 62 tackles.

At 23 years old, there is still time for Murphy to develop into a Sam Hubbard-type defensive end or even develop some pass-rush skills. That could be intriguing for a team looking for defensive line help.

Trading Murphy would result in a $1,538,592 dead money charge. However, the team would save $2,466,444 towards the cap in 2026.

Message in a bottle into the Ohio River

It may sound wild to think that the team should part ways with two of their recent first-round draft picks. However, it doesn't sound as ridiculous as scoring 42 points in an NFL game and knowing that that would not be enough to come away with a victory if you're counting on the Cincinnati Bengals' defense to seal the deal.

Moving on from lackluster defensive linemen with a signal that the front office recognizes its mistakes and is attempting to move on from them as quickly as possible. That is messaging taken through action that the fan base, and some players in the locker room, would welcome.

Try something, anything. 

By moving on from them expeditiously, you can strike while the proverbial stove is relatively hot in the case of Stewart, who many viewed as a first-round talent only six months ago.

Also, in the case of Murphy, being a former Day 1 selection goes a long way in the eyes of other franchises.

Bengals trades for Shemar Stewart or Myles Murphy wouldn’t signal throwing in the towel

Moving on from Murphy and Stewart at tomorrow’s trade deadline would not signal giving up on the 2025 season, whereas trotting them out to the wolves, err, Bears, does.

We have seen how inept the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive line, in general, and the pass rush in particular, looks without the services of Trey Hendrickson. It would not be an overreaction to say that the team could get just as much production from a few of their practice squad players as they are getting from their current defensive line as presently constituted.

Furthermore, you would make moves at the trade deadline while not trading Hendrickson, Wilson, or Cam Taylor-Britt, who might not be performing at the level to which we have become accustomed, but are still performing better than some of their defensive counterparts.

The team could even consider trying Taylor-Britt at safety. Why not?

The season feels over after such a devastating loss. But there is plenty of runway left for the Bengals to take off. Hope is there, if you look deep enough.

Shemar Stewart or Myles Murphy trade would refocus 2026 NFL draft strategy 

Moving on from Murphy and Stewart would bring the 2026 NFL draft into clear focus for the Bengals. The scouting department, led by Duke Tobin or whoever will be making the personnel decisions next year, can get a head start on concentrating on talented defensive linemen in next year's draft.

They can also get an early jump on evaluating offensive line talent in hopes of better protecting their quarterbacks next season.

And while some might argue that tipping their hand in the draft is a disadvantage, the counterargument is that everyone knows the foibles of this Cincinnati team. The Bengals are an open book for learning what else the team has. Just ask rookie running back Kyle Monangai.

Yes, the Bengals should consider making moves before the trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon. However, they should consider more than just the names that have been bandied about thus far.

Other, more unconventional ways of thinking are out there in the ether. Trading away two first-round draft picks might seem drastic. However, considering what they, and some others, are giving you on the field, it would not be that extreme.

And the front office could sell it by saying they're not waving the red flag on this season while keeping an eye towards the next one.

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