Jets Should Trade For Disgruntled Star First Round Pick

The Jets could look to land a first round pick in a massive trade with the Bengals.

The Cincinnati Bengals practice in the off season on Tuesday May 20, 2025. Bengals 2025 draft pick Shemar Stewart (97). | Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Bengals have been backed into a corner with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. If they don't pay him, he's going to hold out, and the Bengals seem very hesitant to pay him. This resulted in the Bengals taking a massive risk and selecting edge rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Stewart seemed quite shocked at the selection as the two sides were never linked leading up to the draft. While Stewart is a talented edge rusher, the fact that the Bengals weren't connected to him leading up to the draft should have kept the two sides apart.

And now the Bengals are refusing to pay Stewart in the same way they have been refusing to pay Hendrickson. And it could cost them their first-round pick this season.

With Stewart being one of two first-round picks remaining unsigned, the Bengals could explore an unprecedented trade involving the potential star, and the New York Jets are the perfect landing spot.

The Jets desperately need to add some defensive talent to their roster, specifically a young edge rusher. After losing Haason Reddick in free agency, the Jets have been left without a high potential option at pass rusher.

Stewart would be a high-potential option, also being quite young. It would be quite an expensive trade to pull off, considering Stewart was a first-round pick a few months ago, but the Jets could part ways with some draft picks in order to land the potential star.

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