NFC Defensive Back Named Bengals Best Fit Ahead Of 2025 NFL Trade Deadline

CINCINNATI — Trade deadline chatter is picking up around the league as Cincinnati is still not expected to move Trey Hendrickson before the Nov. 4 cutoff.

One player ESPN's Seth Walder thinks Cincinnati could be involved with is Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen. The rangy defender has three pass breakups and 19 tackles this season.

"Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen," Walder wrote about a player the Bengals should target. "Last year, Notre Dame played more man coverage than any other FBS team under defensive coordinator Al Golden, who is now with Cincinnati. The Bengals have slightly leaned more toward zone this season, but adding Woolen would allow Golden to play more man coverage. He would also make a good cornerback pairing with DJ Turner.

Woolen is in the final year of his rookie contract and could be a low-risk way to add some kind of talent boost to this defense. Although, he's sporting by far a career-low Pro Football Focus grade at 48.3 overall.

It's hard to imagine things will get a whole lot better for that unit if no one gets added before next Tuesday. ESPN's Dan Graziano is part of the majority in the NFL who would be surprised if Cincinnati traded Hendrickson.

"Man, if they'd beaten the Jets the way they should have Sunday, the Bengals would be .500 and probably hitting the gas pedal in the winnable AFC North," Graziano wrote. "But they didn't, and that leaves them in limbo. I'm going to say the Bengals don't do anything. Trading away edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is the popular theory, but I don't get the sense they're considering it. (The Bengals already made one deal for quarterback Joe Flacco.)"

The Bengals front office has less than a week to make meaningful additions to one of the league's worst defenses.

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