Cincinnati Bengals: Trading up for Dwayne Haskins is a dream scenario
The Cincinnati Bengals could be perfectly placed to trade up for Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 NFL Draft, a dream scenario for the organization.
With the changing of the guard, it’s time the Cincinnati Bengals hit the refresh button at quarterback with Andy Dalton as well. That could mean trading up a few spots in the 2019 NFL Draft to secure Dwayne Haskins, the quarterback from Ohio State.
This offseason, Mike Brown and his executive staff have been adamant about sparking change in the Queen City. They kicked it off by parting ways with long-time head coach Marvin Lewis. They have since hired former Rams quarterback coach Zac Taylor.
The expectations are high for Taylor, and reality may hit Bengals’ fans quite hard once the season begins. That said, the Bengals still have the chance to replace arguably the sport’s most influential position with what could be the draft’s best talent.
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Haskins is projected to be the second quarterback off the board after Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray’s stock skyrocketed following his Heisman Trophy victory. While Murray is projected to be the top pick, many are still skeptical about the 5-10 quarterback. Haskins also isn’t projected to go No. 2 overall. That spots may be reserved for Nick Bosa, Haskins’ former teammate at OSU. After the second selection, all bets are up in the air.
As fate would have it, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. (subscription required) doesn’t even have Haskins as a top-four pick, allowing for Cincinnati to move up in the draft without relinquishing too many assets. They’d likely be forced to trade into the top five to safely target the 6-4 Haskins as the Giants at No. 6 are a quintessential fit for Haskins as well.
The Bengals, or any team that eyes Haskins, would likely trade with Tampa Bay, and for Cincinnati, it couldn’t get much better than that. Tampa would likely request a future first or an additional third-round pick along with the No. 11 overall selection.
Over the last few years, Dalton has failed to live up to the high expectations in Cincinnati. With a career low in yards and games played last season, it’s time Cincinnati looks elsewhere in what could be the most transforming offseason to date.
Haskins, who threw for a Big Ten-record 50 touchdowns and over 4,800 yards during his sophomore season, has superstar written on his chest. He’s big, athletic and can pass with elite precision.
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It’s time for Cincinnati to work on securing the No. 5 overall pick. They can live without Haskins for a few years, but eventually, they’ll need a franchise quarterback. It’s not every draft one is available at No. 5.