Why Bengals didn’t work the trade phones with Cowboys
The Bengals felt like a fit for a Cowboys star. But a specific reason stopped them from a trade.
The Cincinnati Bengals were an extremely popular trade partner idea for Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa during NFL free agency. But like some of their misses at linebacker, the Bengals never showed a real interest in a trade . Odighizuwa then got traded to the San Francisco 49ers.
Now, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer has hinted at the reason, writing that the Bengals “aren’t willing to part ways with more draft picks. ” Odighizuwa cost the 49ers a third-round pick to obtain from the Cowboys. There are some other mild reasons why the Bengals would’ve been out on Odighizuwa.
Why does a team like the Cowboys want to move a solid under-30 contributor? He’s already on a four-year deal worth $80 million, too. But for the Bengals, it certainly comes down to how they value draft picks more than anything else.
They instead chose to sign Jonathan Allen in free agency as an interior pass-rusher and hope to get a third-round compensatory pick for the departure of Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals’ hyper focus on draft pick value isn’t going to change, so don’t expect trades that involve notable selections. What needs to change, though, is the horrific hit rate of Duke Tobin’s picks over the last few years, which is the biggest culprit for the situation they’re in right now.