The Cincinnati Bengals could use some help at the NFL trade deadline at spots hit with injuries such as cornerback and especially offensive tackle now that Orlando Brown Jr. is hurt.
But in a new column detailing the NFL trade deadline for every team, ESPN’s Ben Solak proposes a new target for the Bengals — Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler:
If the Bengals are indeed adding at the trade deadline, it must mean they’re making a playoff push … which must mean their run defense needs immediate reinforcements. Enter Butler, who is on a cheap one-year deal and is good for 40 or so snaps per game with some splashy run defense. Exactly what the doctor ordered.
Butler, 30, has 22 sacks since 2017 and could be the type of low-cost buy the Bengals look to make, should the injury bug strike again.
But the Bengals are much healthier now than they were at the start of the season on the defensive interior. Sheldon Rankins and B.J. Hill are back from injuries. And rookies Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson are both fully healthy, too, and showing flashes that could hint at longer playing time.
While Butler is the the type of guy the Bengals might pursue, the team might be better off attacking a spot like corner or in the offensive trenches, if not another sheer pass-rusher on the edge to help Trey Hendrickson.
