Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. Getty
The Cincinnati Bengals are sitting at 5-2 after their Week 8 win over the Tennessee Titans. However, the defense had a rough performance, and they announced that rookie edge rusher Cashius Howell will be out for the next few weeks and could potentially end up on the IR.
This has caused the edge rusher room to go from a strength to an area of need very quickly. A name to keep an eye on is Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith, according to Joe Goodberry.
"Bengals need a DE at the trade deadline," Goodberry tweeted after seeing the status of Howell.
When a reply mentioned Nolan Smith, Goodberry called out that it was a good call.
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr.
The Eagles are sitting at 2-6. They lost their starting quarterback for the season. Their starting right tackle retired. They traded their starting center for a second-round pick. Philadelphia has reportedly not made Saquon Barkley available. However, most other players are.
Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia notes that Smith is a prime candidate for the Eagles to trade.
"This offseason, the Eagles paid Jonathan Greenard big money and they still really like Jalyx Hunt, who is in his third season in his rookie contract," wrote Zangaro. "The hunch here is that the Eagles would prefer to keep Hunt long-term. And if they want to keep Hunt, then it probably makes Smith more expendable."
Zangaro added that the team trading for Smith would have him on his fifth-year option next season. So, there is more value than just a half-season rental. That is why he projects a third-round pick in exchange.
"Last trade deadline, the Eagles brought in Jaelan Phillips for a third-round pick," noted Zangaro. "The Eagles shouldn't take any less for Smith, and they should ask for more. Third-round picks are pretty common for edge rushers."
Smith has four sacks in seven games for the Eagles this year.
Smith is a former first-round pick going 30th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had just one sack as a rookie, but shot up to 6.5 sacks in his second NFL season. Injuries did not help his case in year three, but he only had three sacks in 12 games.
The Eagles picked up the fifth-year option on Smith, but have not been talking about an extension. After four sacks in seven games, he is likely going to command a big deal. Cincinnati can add Smith, and then they do not need to rely on Howell. Then, by the time Smith is due a contract, Howell will be entering his third NFL season and will likely have been progressing into his role.
It would not be crazy for the Bengals to add Smith at the deadline if they wanted to go over the top.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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