The Cincinnati Bengals are a popular theory as NFL trade deadline buyers, especially when it comes to positions like running back. 

There are, after all, names like Jonathan Taylor out there, even if Tony Pollard might make more sense. 

But the Bengals feel likely to make a smaller move, if any, and possibly on the defensive side of the football before anything else. 

A good example? Bucky Brooks of NFL.com just suggested the Bengals as a trade fit with the New York Jets for edge Will McDonald IV. 

“The 6-4, 245-pounder has flashed disruptive potential with 23.5 career sacks and four forced fumbles in 54 games, but a surplus of pass rushers on the roster could prompt GM Darren Mougey to trade him away for draft capital to help in the rebuild,” Brooks wrote. “Although such a move might lead to some quizzical looks, the desire to stockpile the war chest with picks could make it sensible enough for the Jets' decision-makers to pull the trigger.”

The Bengals don’t really need help at defensive end, with former first-rounder Shemar Stewart unable to even crack the active roster last week. 

That said, the Bengals adding a former top-15 pick who had 10.5 sacks in 2024 and eight more in 2025 would be pretty hard to complain about. Bonus points to the idea because he already has a picked-up fifth-year option, too.

This is the sort of idea that the Bengals don’t need, but would certainly look into if the price from a rebuilding team were somehow lower than expected on a player like McDonald.