On Sunday, the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals will take on the 3-5 Atlanta Falcons at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
It will be Cincinnati’s final game before the NFL trade deadline. Regardless of the result, the Cincinnati Bengals will probably be buyers at the trade deadline, or at least try to be. Their stance on this season was made clear during the offseason when they invested heavily in free agents and then made the aggressive move of trading their first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence.
Lawrence’s addition has gone about as well as could have been expected. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman has been a force on the interior defensive line. However, he did not solve all of the issues that plagued Cincinnati last season. In fact, some new issues have surfaced this season. In particular, the team has struggled to run the ball efficiently.
While running the ball from under center was a point of emphasis for Cincinnati during training camp, the results have not been there in the regular season. Running back Chase Brown has struggled, which is one of the reasons the team has been getting constantly linked to Colts superstar running back Jonathan Taylor in a potential blockbuster trade.
Now, ahead of the trade deadline, the Bengals have received a clear message on the Colts’ plans entering Week 9.
Cincinnati Bengals Learn of Jonathan Taylor Decision Before Week 9
NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted on X: “Sources: The #Colts have received plenty of calls on several players, including Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, Grover Stewart and others.
But the belief around the league is that, barring an offer that blows them away, Indianapolis plans to wait until after Sunday’s game vs the Cowboys before revisiting the offers on the table and making the trades that make sense on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the deadline.”
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Colts are holding firm on their asking price for Taylor, as he wrote: “The Colts are still asking for a lot for RB Jonathan Taylor and taking the stance that they don’t need to move him. I do get the sense, though, that enough teams are interested in Taylor that it’s too soon for the Colts to think about lowering their demands. I would guess he gets traded.”
A bidding war for Jonathan Taylor may mean the running back escapes a price point the Cincinnati Bengals are willing to meet.
Alternatives to Jonathan Taylor
Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling named Titans running back Tony Pollard and Jets running back Breece Hall as potential alternatives to Jonathan Taylor. Roling wrote: “Much has been written about the Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL trade rumors around Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts.
While that has unfolded ahead of the NFL trade deadline, we’ve also noted that Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard is another really good option for the Bengals.
But here’s another: New York Jets running back Breece Hall. Hall has been a mainstay in trade rumors, especially with the sudden emergence of Braelon Allen for the 2-6 Jets.
Hall is in the Tony Pollard bucket where he might be a pretty good deal for the Bengals if they can get him in town. He’s still just 25 years old and a former second-round pick who is under contract through at least 2027 with guarantees.”
Bengals Get Clear Message on Potential Colts Trade Deadline Move