It’s the offseason. Rumors and speculation are all over the place. With all of the drama surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals and the Bengals’ defense, there lies a need for a spark. Last year, the Bengals’ defense was the reason for historic seasons on offense to go to waste. In response, the team drafted an EDGE and two linebackers to give new defensive coordinator Al Golden a little help. Given, that EDGE and one of those linebackers are currently unsigned, and Trey Hendrickson, last year’s NFL sacks king, is holding out for a new contract.
As of now, the Bengals have just over $22.25 million in effective cap space. That’s before any cap casualty cuts (like Germaine Pratt) or pay cuts. Hendrickson’s contract extension, when/if it’s signed, will eat into that pretty significantly.
“What if he holds out the entire season?” Well, this year wouldn’t count, he’d still be under contract for 2026, and the Bengals would roll over the cap hit.
With all of this nonsense, it would make sense to try and manifest a move. Plenty of speculation has been focused on trading for a piece like Jalen Ramsey or even the New England Patriots’ Jonathan Jones.
Don’t hold your breath.
Don’t Expect the Bengals to Trade for All-Pro…Or Anyone, For That Matter
The Cincinnati Bengals don’t make trades. They certainly are not going to trade for a player.
This year’s NFL Draft provided prime opportunities to trade back on a number of occasions to stockpile assets. So, naturally, the Bengals took a project EDGE with 4.5 career sacks in three seasons and a linebacker who is turning 25 in July with their first two picks. The last time the team made a trade for a player, it was for Khalil Herbert. The time before that? The Billy Price-for-B.J. Hill in August 2021.
National pundits whose only bit of knowledge on the team is that Mike Brown is cheap love to make grandiose suggestions. As a result, CBSSports’ Brad Crawford pitched that the Bengals should trade for Ramsey:
“Why wouldn’t new defensive coordinator Al Golden want a proven piece like Ramsey? He would welcome the addition with open arms. The Bengals have not signed or drafted a cornerback this offseason despite having one of the NFL’s weakest units against the pass. Joe Burrow has a couple more years on his record-setting extension, so the window remains open for Cincinnati to make noise as a contender in the AFC North.”
Sorry, it’s not going to happen.
It Makes No Sense
The only thing going for the suggestion is that Dax Hill and DJ Turner are working their way back from season-ending injuries, and the Bengals could use bodies. They are more likely to re-sign Mike Hilton than trade for Ramsey.
To start, Ramsey is not the All-Pro he once was. From 2020 through 2022, he was one of the best corners in the game. Of course, the Bengals faced him in Super Bowl 56 and torched him for five receptions on eight targets for 159 yards and a touchdown, including Tee Higgins’ 75-yard score on the first play of the second half. Ramsey was in the 98th percentile in Pro Football Focus’s coverage metrics in that time.
However, if you take stock in PFF’s metrics, he has regressed since that 2022 season. Last year, he earned a 71.9 coverage grade, good for 39th among corners. Compared to the Bengals, he would have been the best of the group. The issue lies with his salary.
If the Bengals trade for Ramsey, they’re trading for four years of Ramsey, three of which will be his three-year, $72.1 million extension which is set to kick in next year. Is Cincinnati seriously going to have Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and, potentially, Hendrickson with $25+ million cap hits to go with Ramsey’s? Burrow is one of the top quarterbacks in the league and led the way in passing and touchdowns. Chase could be argued as the best receiver, considering he is coming off a Triple Crown season. Higgins could be considered the top WR2 in the NFL.
Is Ramsey top five at his position? Before Sauce Gardner’s extension, Ramsey’s AAV is the third-most in the NFL. If this discussion were about Patrick Surtain II, the contract could be swallowed. For Ramsey? Not so much.
Financially, the trade proposal makes no sense. Now, if the Miami Dolphins end up cutting him and he needs to find work on his own rather than get traded, the Bengals may pick up the phone to lowball him. But giving up draft capital for an expensive corner on the wrong side of 30?
It’s just not going to happen.
Main Image: Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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