The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off of their bye week, sitting in last place in the AFC North at 3-2. With everyone else in the division sitting at 4-2, they are right in the mix to still win the division.
Meanwhile, there are several teams around the league sitting with just 1 win on the season, along with the Chargers, who are surprisingly 0-6 to start the year. Could the Bengals swing a trade to continue making a push back to the playoffs this year?
Most years, I would say absolutely not. After adding Dexter Lawrence via trade for the 10th overall selection, it cannot be completely ruled out. Let's take a look around the league at some potential players that could be on the trade block for teams that have started out poorly this year.
The Commanders invested heavily in free agency this season, and it has not worked out on the field. One of those additions was tight end Chig Okonkwo. With Tanner Hudson recently going on IR the Bengals could use another receiving threat at the tight end position. Okonkwo is coming off his best game of the season on Monday Night Football. He went for 6 receptions for 69 yards in the Week 6 loss.
Unfortunately, Okonkwo is under contract for two more seasons after this one. I can't see the Bengals actually bringing in a high-dollar tight end to the roster with Jack Endries just sitting on the 53-man roster already.
Outside of Okonkwo I don't see anybody else on their roster that makes sense from a football standpoint who could become available from Washington.
Tennessee was able to finally get in the win column this week. They are still a team that looks more in the running for the top overall draft pick than they do a shot at making a run toward the playoffs this year.
Linebacker Cedric Gray has been demoted from a full-time starter to a rotational role in the defense after the addition of rookie Anthony Hill Jr. from Texas this season. Gray finished the 2025 season fourth overall in total tackles with 164. He had a 92.7 run defense grade last season.
The Bengals' young linebackers are improving, but it would be nice to add another player in the mix to take snaps from Oren Burks. It would also be better injury insurance over Burks for the current starters. Buying low on a player still on his rookie contract that has played well in the past makes a lot of sense to me.
Amani Hooker at strong safety is another player that makes sense from a purely football standpoint. Jordan Battle has struggled, and Kyle Dugger has been injured. Hooker has over 5,000 career snaps, has an 88.5 run defense grade this season, and has recorded 2 interceptions.
However, Hooker just recently signed a 3-year contract extension in Tennessee. That could make it unlikely the Bengals have any interest there.
Tampa Bay blew a 16-3 lead in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. With just one win on the season, we might see them decide to unload a few contracts around the trade deadline. The player everyone would love to add to this roster is Bucky Irving. Irving is one of the most elusive running backs in the league. Still on his rookie deal through next season, I can't see the Buccaneers actually trading him.
There is another running back they might part with, and that is Kenny Gainwell. Gainwell had some quality games against the Bengals last season when he was playing for Pittsburgh. He has just 61 rushing yards and 61 receiving yards so far this season. Last year with Pittsburgh he ran for 537 yards, while adding an additional 486 receiving.
Gainwell is under contract again for next year with a salary of $7 million. He could be cut with a dead cap hit of $3 million before that season. I don't know how much interest the Bengals would actually have in Gainwell, but he does seem like a player that is likely to be on the trading block.
Miami is in a complete rebuild this season. They have added a lot of young talent via the 2026 NFL Draft, and will be looking to do the same again this year. They are likely to sell off some players for draft capital ahead of the trade deadline.
The problem here is that I don't think anyone they might be willing to part with makes sense for Cincinnati. I could see them letting go of a veteran like Josh Uche or Zach Sieler on the defensive line. For once, that is not a position that the Bengals are in desperate need of. If anything, we have so many guys at that position that it is hard for some of the young guys to see enough snaps this year. Jordyn Brooks would have been a prime target to go after, but the Miami Dolphins decided to give him another contract extension this year. They are planning to have him and rookie Jacob Rodriguez as building blocks for their defense going forward.
People are going to toss out names like running back Omarion Hampton, safety Derwin James, and pass rusher Khalil Mack. I don't see any of those being realistic options for Cincinnati to acquire. Hampton is in his second season, and the Chargers are unlikely to give up on him just yet. James has a massive contract and has been constantly injured. Mack isn't a position Cincinnati really needs help at, along with a hefty contract of his own this year.
The one player that I would go after is cornerback Cam Hart. Hart played for Al Golden at Notre Dame. He has great size at 6'2" and 207 pounds. He is having a career year with a 73.8 coverage grade. He is still just 25 years old, and has also recorded 2 interceptions this year. With the Chargers at 0-6 I am making that phone call and trying to acquire Hart.
If you added Hart, it would allow Dax Hill to stay in the slot the rest of the year. Hart would start on the outside opposite of DJ Turner. That trio could be one of the best in the league. Shoring up the secondary with the defensive line Cincinnati has would be beneficial for a team looking to make a long playoff run.
