The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves on the cusp of a playoff spot as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
With two weeks until the Nov. 5 deadline, the Bengals will have three more games to decide whether they want to buy, sell or stay put for the remainder of the season.
In a wide-open AFC North, the Bengals have won three of their last four and could take advantage of a solid schedule the rest of the way.
One way to do that would be to acquire superstar edge rusher from a division rival likely set to be sellers at the deadline.
In a blockbuster trade proposal from Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, the Bengals sent five draft picks for Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett.
The proposed trade has Cincinnati sending two first-round picks (2025, 2026), two third-round picks (2025, 2026) and a fourth-round pick (2026) to Cleveland.
“Acquiring Myles Garrett would instantly elevate a Bengals defense that has mightily struggled against top-tier opponents. If Cincinnati’s brass truly believes this team can fully reverse its early season fortunes and go on a run by adding one more piece, it would be well worth the high price of prying the reigning Defensive Player of the Year away from an in-state AFC North rival,” Kay wrote.
An in-division trade seems highly unlikely, but the Browns organization may find it difficult to rebuild with Deshaun Watson eating up most of the salary-cap space.
Trading for Garrett would be an insane upgrade to the defensive line opposite Trey Hendrickson, who is having a fantastic start to the season.
Mortgaging the future is always a bold move, and the Bengals still have to pay Ja’Marr Chase. But the window is still open for Cincinnati to make a run if they are able to add a piece like Garrett.
