NFL Draft 2019: 5 Round 1 trade partners for the 49ers
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: Cincinnati Bengals
Like the Raiders, the Cincinnati Bengals also have a deep crop of NFL Draft picks with which they could use in a lucrative trade-up scenario — 11, to be exact. Yet six of these selections are in Rounds 6 or 7, and not even all of those would be close enough to convince the 49ers to make a move from No. 2 overall to No. 11, where the Bengals are poised to pick.
It would likely take at least a couple of day-two picks from Cincy to make such a deal fly with John Lynch. Tack on some more picks in 2020, and things look a lot more reasonable.
Now, why would the Bengals want to consider a move in the first place? Why would they move away from some top picks to be used in one of the better defenses classes, especially considering Cincinnati’s defense allowed the league’s third most points in 2018?
Well, like all the teams on this list, it would involve a quarterback.
Quarterback Andy Dalton hasn’t looked good since his Pro Bowl 2017 campaign. At 31 years old, there likely isn’t going to be a scenario in which he suddenly finds his Pro Bowl form again. And with first-year head coach Zac Taylor wanting to usher in a new era, it’s possible the biggest team change comes under center.
To justify the idea, ESPN’s Todd McShay reported the Bengals are seriously considering grabbing a quarterback in Round 1 of the draft.
If that’s the case, waiting to see what’s available at No. 11 overall might not be the best strategy.
Especially if Cincinnati is set on a particular name in the first round.