The Cincinnati Bengals' season will end on Sunday after their Week 18 game against the Cleveland Browns. Cincinnati will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season, which has led to speculation that Joe Burrow could try to force his way away from the Bengals and make a trade come together to send him to a more capable franchise.
The main culprit with the Bengals' struggles has been the defense. The Bengals rank last in the NFL in total defense, and their draft picks they've brought in have not lived up to expectations. Additionally, Trey Hendrickson missed the majority of the season and will be a free agent this March, meaning the Bengals' top defender is likely leaving. Because of all of these factors, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggests that the Bengals make a blockbuster trade for Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby. Knox proposes that the Bengals trade a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and Shemar Stewart.
"Making a move for Crosby would accomplish two things for the Bengals," Knox writes. "Obviously, it would help improve a defense that desperately needs an influx of talent. It would also signal to the fanbase and the players that Cincinnati is serious about building a winner. In this hypothetical scenario, the Bengals send young defender Shemar Stewart as part of the package to land Crosby. The 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Stewart is a physically gifted but raw pass-rushing prospect who might better fit Las Vegas' trajectory than Cincinnati's."
"It's likely going to take time for Stewart to develop into a star, and the Bengals need to maximize their window with Burrow now. In Las Vegas, though, Stewart could potentially ascend around the same time the Raiders are ready to contend in the AFC West."
Adding a top-tier pass rusher to replace Hendrickson, as well as the potential of adding a player to go along with Crosby would almost certainly help the Bengals' defense take a step forward, and could propel the Bengals back into the postseason in 2026.
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