The Cincinnati Bengals are not the type of team to fork over significant draft capital in a trade, or serve up one of their own players in a prospective deal. Their splashiest move of recent years was an in-season trade with the Browns for Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Flacco, but that was a mere Day 3 pick swap situation.
So yeah, as much as I'd love to see the Bengals trade down in the 2026 NFL Draft, land a first- or second-round pick in the process, give themselves more throws at the draft dart board, and trade that future pick for a superstar like Vita Vea, in all likelihood, it ain't happenin'.
A gargantuan seven-round mock of what that'd look like just dropped this morning on Stripe Hype. Highly recommend. Let's get to the AFC North adversary who could actually gain ground in major trades this offseason, though.
Bleacher Report names ideal trade targets that could keep reigning AFC North champs on top
B/R's Alex Ballentine outlined trade targets for all 32 teams. While the Bengals' group was interesting, it wasn't anything I haven't seen before. Chiefs superstar Trent McDuffie led the trio, followed by Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne and Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson II.
Gonna be honest. Can't see a world where Cincinnati trades for any of those guys.
But in addition to Broncos cornerback Riley Moss, Ballentine had the Pittsburgh Steelers targeting Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. His rationale dismissed the notion of a Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers reunion before landing on Kyler as Pittsburgh's new QB1:
"The Steelers are not an organization that builds to lose. Mike Tomlin was speculatively on the hot seat after four first-round playoff exits in six seasons, but Pittsburgh has not had a losing season since 2003. [...] Murray would be a veteran option who has won in the league before and would only account for a $24.9 million cap hit in 2026."
Jacksonville's offense became a lot more multiple and had all kinds of weapons in 2025. That sidelined Thomas to some degree, on the heels of a phenomenal rookie year when he was third in the NFL in receiving yards. BTJ would absolutely cook alongside DK Metcalf.
Thomas is a lethal deep threat, which complements Murray's downfield throwing ability very well indeed. What makes Murray most dangerous is his elite athleticism and making big plays with his legs.
The Cardinals are among the most toxic organizations in all of sports. They're just dreadful. Levels behind the rest of their NFC West division. They still don't officially have a head coach. All indications are it'll be Mike LaFleur. Good luck in the desert, Mike. As long as Michael Bidwill owns the team, that franchise is stuck in mud.
Saying all that to say, while the Steelers aren't exactly on the NFL's cutting edge, they'd represent a far more stable change of pace for Murray in this potential next phase of his career. He'd benefit from a QB whisperer like McCarthy, who gets a lot of heat, but manages to win at a high clip in the regular season wherever he is.
Let's just say the Bengals' maligned defense would have their hands full trying to mark up Metcalf and Thomas with Murray chucking the ball. All the while *trying* to stop the run and take advantage of a subpar Steelers o-line, which still has free agency and the draft to bid for reinforcements.