Cincinnati Bengals Should Make Obvious Moves Ahead of 2025 NFL Trade Deadline

CINCINNATI — The Bengals lost to the Bears 47-42 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. They're 3-6 on the season, despite Joe Flacco posted historic numbers in his first four starts at quarterback.

With Joe Burrow out for at least another month, the Bengals' defense floundering and the team three games under .500, one thing has become perfectly clear: They should make multiple deals ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.

They need to trade Trey Hendrickson. The soon-to-be 31-year-old pass rusher could help a contender, which means he'll fetch a day two pick and then some on the trade market. He missed Sunday's game due to a hip issue, but it doesn't sound like that would get in the way of a trade.

Hendrickson is the best pass rusher that could realistically be available ahead of Tuesday's deadline at 4 p.m. ET.

The Bengals have considered trading him in the past, but talks with other teams never went anywhere. That should change now that the team is 3-6. Hendrickson should be on another roster ahead of the deadline.

The All-Pro defensive end isn't the only Bengals defender that the team should be trying to trade. Logan Wilson, B.J. Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cam Taylor-Britt and Geno Stone are all players that should be on the block.

If they aren't part of the long-term plan, then they should be available.

The same goes for Jermaine Burton. If they get offered anything for the second-year pro, they should take it.

The Bengals should aggressively sell at the deadline. They should also be forward thinking.

If they can land a defensive player that they can build around moving forward, then they should do it.

I wrote about this scenario last week. From Jeffery Simmons to Quinnen Williams and Kayvon Thibodeaux—Cincinnati should be on the hunt for quality defensive players that are under contract beyond the 2025 season.

The Bengals added Flacco and it helped the offense. Parting ways with Hendrickson, Wilson and other defensive players is a no-brainer, but it doesn't mean they can't add a building block for the future.

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