The Cincinnati Bengals face a lot of pressure to get it right with the 10th overall pick in this upcoming NFL Draft. Recognizing they have a window of contention with Joe Burrow that has not been capitalized on in recent seasons, Cincinnati must do all it can to get this franchise back on track.
Just five years ago in 2021, the Bengals lost a close Super Bowl contest to the LA Rams. Making another deep playoff run the next season, Cincinnati fell by three points to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. In the years since, it has been three consecutive playoff absences for a team that not only has a star quarterback in Burrow, but arguably the top receiver in the game in Ja’Marr Chase.
The defense has been the biggest issue for Cincinnati, which is why nearly everyone expects the Bengals to draft a defensive player in this upcoming draft. The biggest question is whether Cincinnati will get aggressive and trade up, or find a way to receive an additional asset or two by trading back.
In a recent mock draft from Bengals Wire, Cincinnati gets aggressive and trades up with the New York Giants to number five in order to select Sonny Styles out of Ohio State.
"The Bengals trade their third-round pick this year (No. 72 overall) and a 2027 third-round pick to the New York Giants to get the linebacker they so desperately need," Billy Riccette of Bengals Wire wrote.
He added, "After watching both of their rookie linebackers struggle in 2025, the Bengals need a major boost in the middle of the defense. Styles' athleticism would be a major welcome addition to the Bengals' defense. Styles is a safety in a linebacker's body. Styles might be the best fit for the Bengals in this class and the Bengals should feel more than comfortable trading two thirds, especially when they are projected to receive a third-round compensatory pick next year for Trey Hendrickson."
With a lot of their moves this offseason aimed at bolstering the secondary defense, it cannot be overlooked how much Bengals linebackers struggled last season. If the team feels the moves they made to the secondary this offseason are sufficient, perhaps they do get aggressive and trade up to bolster that linebacker group.
If Cincinnati does choose to go this route, Styles would be a great get. His skill set would fill a need for the Bengals, and if the package to move up was not too steep, it would be hard to argue against the Bengals making this kind of move.
Oftentimes these decisions do not materialize until much closer to the draft, as teams begin getting a better idea of what they may or may not be able to accomplish in free agency and other trades. For Cincinnati, the defense has already seen quite an overhaul this offseason, but many feel they are still a piece or two away from truly being serviceable on that end of the ball.