The Cincinnati Bengals front office has put itself in a tight spot recently with the enormous contract extensions of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Having committed heavily to their high-powered offense, the Bengals will know that the next two or three NFL Drafts are crucial to their chances of success.
If the team manages to build a respectable defense through the Draft, it will have a genuine shot at a Super Bowl. If, however, the team whiffs on its rookie picks, it could spell more of the same disappointment for Bengals fans in the years to come. Recently, one Bengals writer forecasted a massive trade that landed the team with a top-10 pick in late April.
Bengals Predicted to Move Into Top 10 by Trading a Key Asset
Recently, PFSN solicited the help of 32 NFL content creators and beat writers to create a collaborative Mock Draft. And, collaborate they did. Especially Mike Masala (NFL Writer, The Sporting News) and Natalie Miller (NFL Analyst, USA Today), who agreed on a blockbuster trade.
The trade saw the Bengals swap first-round picks with the Carolina Panthers, with the Bengals receiving an additional third-round pick, while the Panthers received four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson has become frustrated with Cincinnati’s feeble efforts to agree on an extension, and Masala sees the stalemate as an opportunity to move up in the draft.
After trading picks with the Panthers, Masala has the Bengals selecting edge rusher Jalon Walker.
“After locking up wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on four-year deals this offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals have officially kept their championship window open. However, those moves also mean that Trey Hendrickson probably won’t get the contract he’s looking for from Cincinnati before the season starts.
“The Bengals can ship him to a team that needs help on the edge and select Jalon Walker, one of the draft’s most intriguing prospects. While his size isn’t that of a prototypical edge rusher, Walker possesses the tenacity and athleticism to cause problems for opposing tackles. He can also play off-ball linebacker, which could come in handy for new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden.”
No Bengals fan wants to see the back of Hendrickson. But the situation regarding the player’s contract has recently deteriorated from tricky to hostile after Hendrickson publicly aired his frustrations. If things don’t improve by the day of the Draft, a trade isn’t out of the question.
What Would Jalon Walker Bring To Cincinnati?
Trade or no trade, Cincinnati is expected to take a defensive player on day one of the Draft. With the team trading up for Walker, the PFSN Stats & Insights team breaks down the team’s defensive struggles in 2024.
“This is certain to be a defensive-oriented draft for Cincinnati (28th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last season). The Bengals allowed passing touchdowns at the eighth-highest rate in 2024, and part of that was their unwillingness to send pressure (25th in blitz rate).
“Across the league, the completion percentage of passes when not facing the blitz was 4.9 percentage points higher than when blitzed last season. The addition of a versatile threat like Walker would give this undermanned defense more potential to create chaos and get creative with their scheming.”
Of the 11 highest-scoring teams of the 2024 season, the Bengals were the only team to miss out on the playoffs. The team finished below the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite scoring 92 more points than their AFC North rivals.
For all the explosiveness that the Cincinnati offense provides, the team will get nowhere if it doesn’t improve on the other side of the ball. Losing Hendrickson would be a far-from-ideal way to start, but drafting the exciting Walker would soften the blow.