Trading Ja'Marr Chase

[CrashDavisSports]

MSN

Two interesting trade ideas. I definitely like him to Washington more than I do New England.

Idea makes sense, but losing a talent like Chase is hard to swallow. How do you rebuild a defense with no extra picks, no extra money for free agents?

Just thought I would share. Not for or completely against, just interesting food for thought.

 

[Cincyfan78]

First thought is - Not happening. Bengals are not trading him. Good clickbait to drive views, but it's not realistic because it's not how the Bengals operate.

Secondly - I'm not banking on Higgins. He's played in like 65% of available games. You can't rely on him to stay healthy. While Higgins is a nice #2 to have - he's not Chase. He can't do what Chase can, and Chase is a top 5, probably top 3, WR in the NFL. Higgins is a nice lower end #1 for some teams, and a high end #2. I keep saying this because I find it to be true over the years in the NFL - the road is littered with WR's who left being a team as their High end #2, only to go on and find out that they are, indeed, not a true #1. I think Higgins can do well depending on where he lands, but he's also going to have to stay healthy to produce. That has been a big issue.

Chase has already expressed his desire to stay in Cincinnati - he wants to stick with Burrow, and Burrow clearly has a report with him, and they can make some magical plays. All the draft picks in the world don't guarantee that you can land another WR like Chase. You don't spit in the eye of a top 3 WR...he's going to get paid. He's going to be in Cincinnati. I have very little doubt about this.

Bigger issues for this team are, really, can you rely on Burton as a #2 (no). Can Yoshi step into that role (Maybe, but he'll not be Higgins). So, they will need to add/draft another WR at least, and probably 2 because I don't see Burton working out at this point. But, I could be wrong.

And the Biggest issue on this team isn't even on the offensive side. It's the defense and everything about them. Every player, every coach, everything.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

First thought is - Not happening. Bengals are not trading him. Good clickbait to drive views, but it's not realistic because it's not how the Bengals operate.

Secondly - I'm not banking on Higgins. He's played in like 65% of available games. You can't rely on him to stay healthy. While Higgins is a nice #2 to have - he's not Chase. He can't do what Chase can, and Chase is a top 5, probably top 3, WR in the NFL. Higgins is a nice lower end #1 for some teams, and a high end #2. I keep saying this because I find it to be true over the years in the NFL - the road is littered with WR's who left being a team as their High end #2, only to go on and find out that they are, indeed, not a true #1. I think Higgins can do well depending on where he lands, but he's also going to have to stay healthy to produce. That has been a big issue.

Chase has already expressed his desire to stay in Cincinnati - he wants to stick with Burrow, and Burrow clearly has a report with him, and they can make some magical plays. All the draft picks in the world don't guarantee that you can land another WR like Chase. You don't spit in the eye of a top 3 WR...he's going to get paid. He's going to be in Cincinnati. I have very little doubt about this.

Bigger issues for this team are, really, can you rely on Burton as a #2 (no). Can Yoshi step into that role (Maybe, but he'll not be Higgins). So, they will need to add/draft another WR at least, and probably 2 because I don't see Burton working out at this point. But, I could be wrong.

And the Biggest issue on this team isn't even on the offensive side. It's the defense and everything about them. Every player, every coach, everything.

I think WR's would be easier to get in FA with Burrow throwing them the ball.

Those draft picks would only add to the trenches in my opinion. I wouldn't use a single pick on an offensive skill player out of that cache if we were to do it.

You load up on defensive and offensive line, and you go after a #1 CB and a top ranked safety.

This is the offseason for all intents and purposes. HYPOTHETICALLY, if we traded Chase to Washington for what SI indicated, this would be our next two drafts without other trades, or compensation picks.

2025 - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 7th
2026 - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th

In 2025, you relieve yourself of the following salaries: Chase's extension, Sam Hubbard, Trent Brown, Vonn Bell, Geno Stone, Germaine Pratt, Mike Hilton, Joseph Ossai, BJ Hill, Sheldon Rankins. Add the salary cap increase in there.

You have 2025 expected free agents of S Javon Holland of the Dolphins, CB DJ Reed of the Jets, G Trey Smith of the Chiefs, CB Rasul Douglas of the Bills, LB Dre Greenlaw of the 49ers, Edge Josh Sweat of the Eagles.

There are some chances for some really good players to change the trajectory of this team in FA. Granted, you can still do some of that in FA without trading Chase, and I don't want to see him go, but watching this defense, and then watching some of these other NFL defenses is maddening. Mahomes is easily having a pedestrian year and his worth NFL season. But his defense is winning games for them. Burrow needs a defense like that.

Mahomes lost Hill and they built their defense.

Detroit lost Stafford and loaded that offense, especially that Oline.

Sometimes the tough call is the best call when the dust settles.

Do I honestly believe the Bengals would trade Chase? No. Is it worth considering given how much we need to rebuild and entire defense? I think it is at least worth discussing in our now current offseason.

 

[cincygrad]

I think WR's would be easier to get in FA with Burrow throwing them the ball.

Those draft picks would only add to the trenches in my opinion. I wouldn't use a single pick on an offensive skill player out of that cache if we were to do it.

You load up on defensive and offensive line, and you go after a #1 CB and a top ranked safety.

This is the offseason for all intents and purposes. HYPOTHETICALLY, if we traded Chase to Washington for what SI indicated, this would be our next two drafts without other trades, or compensation picks.

2025 - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 7th
2026 - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th

In 2025, you relieve yourself of the following salaries: Chase's extension, Sam Hubbard, Trent Brown, Vonn Bell, Geno Stone, Germaine Pratt, Mike Hilton, Joseph Ossai, BJ Hill, Sheldon Rankins. Add the salary cap increase in there.

You have 2025 expected free agents of S Javon Holland of the Dolphins, CB DJ Reed of the Jets, G Trey Smith of the Chiefs, CB Rasul Douglas of the Bills, LB Dre Greenlaw of the 49ers, Edge Josh Sweat of the Eagles.

There are some chances for some really good players to change the trajectory of this team in FA. Granted, you can still do some of that in FA without trading Chase, and I don't want to see him go, but watching this defense, and then watching some of these other NFL defenses is maddening. Mahomes is easily having a pedestrian year and his worth NFL season. But his defense is winning games for them. Burrow needs a defense like that.

Mahomes lost Hill and they built their defense.

Detroit lost Stafford and loaded that offense, especially that Oline.

Sometimes the tough call is the best call when the dust settles.

Do I honestly believe the Bengals would trade Chase? No. Is it worth considering given how much we need to rebuild and entire defense? I think it is at least worth discussing in our now current offseason.

Over the last 10 years, the Bengals have drafted 3 Pro Bowl players that were taken outside of the top 10 of the draft (so, not including Burrow or Chase). They are Mixon, Bates, and Eifert. All of those picks in 10 years and you end up with 3 Pro Bowl worthy players. You have a generational talent in Chase - A guy that is not only the best receiver from his draft class, but is arguably the best receiver to come into the NFL in the past decade. He isn't JUST a receiver.... I think his real talent is just starting to show this season and it is scary good. He is as untouchable as untouchable gets.

I honestly think you could make a better argument for trading Burrow and picking a new guy on a rookie deal. And that feels absurd to write.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Over the last 10 years, the Bengals have drafted 3 Pro Bowl players that were taken outside of the top 10 of the draft (so, not including Burrow or Chase). They are Mixon, Bates, and Eifert. All of those picks in 10 years and you end up with 3 Pro Bowl worthy players. You have a generational talent in Chase - A guy that is not only the best receiver from his draft class, but is arguably the best receiver to come into the NFL in the past decade. He isn't JUST a receiver.... I think his real talent is just starting to show this season and it is scary good. He is as untouchable as untouchable gets.

I honestly think you could make a better argument for trading Burrow and picking a new guy on a rookie deal. And that feels absurd to write.

I pretty much agree with you. But how untouchable is he if he can't agree on a contract with Mike Brown?

 

[alf8478]

The Chiefs/Hill trade is kind of apples to oranges.

The Chiefs already had Mahomes, the best TE in the league in Kelce, 3 top interior O-linemen, and a dominant D-Lineman in Chris Jones.

If the Bengals traded Chase, all they have left is Burrow, and a 30 year old Hendrikson with 1 year left on his deal, who is already unhappy with said deal.

Also, this whole hypothetical assumes that the bengals would pick the right players with those picks, when history has shown, outside of the top 5, their track record in the draft is awful.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I pretty much agree with you. But how untouchable is he if he can't agree on a contract with Mike Brown?

He'll play through his Franchise Tag and then be allowed to hit F/A.

Or he'll sit that year, and he's done that before...but, he's not getting traded until that situations comes to fruition - and that's down the road.

 

[Ojb81]

 

[cincygrad]

Just to take this exercise a bit futher. Lets look at the last 10 years of first, second, third, and fifth round picks. Lets be realistic and not include top 10 picks in any round because a team that trades for Chase isn't finishing in the bottom 10 unless we also give them Zac Taylor and Lou Anarumo.

1st rounders - Ogbhuehi, Jackson, Ross, Price, Jonah Williams, Hill, Murphy, and Mims.
2nd rounders - Fisher, Boyd, Mixon, Bates, Sample, Carman, CTB, Turner, Jenkins
3rd rounders - Kroft, Dawson, Vigil, Willis, Hubbard, Jefferson, Pratt, Ossai, Carter, Battle, Burton
Fifth rounders - Uzomah, Westerman, Dielmen, Harris, Brown, Phillips, Andersen, Brown, and Newton.

So, if I had 2 extra firsts, 2 extra seconds, 1 extra third, and 1 extra 5th.... What sort of players could I hope for under best case scenarios with our drafting process. Out of this pool I'd take.

Mims and Jonah
Bates and Mixon
Hubbard
Newton?

So, a pro-bowl safety, a pro-bowl talent at RB, a run stopping d-end, one average tackle, one promising tackle and a 4th corner. Is that worth it for Chase?

 

[DanBengalfan]

we're spending 20+ million on tee higgins this year alone. that money should be reallocated to the defense.

some of the underperforming people will have to be cut to make room for fresh blood. really, we need to stop looking for mediocre players to come here expecting them to be our salvation, but that's another matter.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Just to take this exercise a bit futher. Lets look at the last 10 years of first, second, third, and fifth round picks. Lets be realistic and not include top 10 picks in any round because a team that trades for Chase isn't finishing in the bottom 10 unless we also give them Zac Taylor and Lou Anarumo.

1st rounders - Ogbhuehi, Jackson, Ross, Price, Jonah Williams, Hill, Murphy, and Mims.
2nd rounders - Fisher, Boyd, Mixon, Bates, Sample, Carman, CTB, Turner, Jenkins
3rd rounders - Kroft, Dawson, Vigil, Willis, Hubbard, Jefferson, Pratt, Ossai, Carter, Battle, Burton
Fifth rounders - Uzomah, Westerman, Dielmen, Harris, Brown, Phillips, Andersen, Brown, and Newton.

So, if I had 2 extra firsts, 2 extra seconds, 1 extra third, and 1 extra 5th.... What sort of players could I hope for under best case scenarios with our drafting process. Out of this pool I'd take.

Mims and Jonah
Bates and Mixon
Hubbard
Newton?

So, a pro-bowl safety, a pro-bowl talent at RB, a run stopping d-end, one average tackle, one promising tackle and a 4th corner. Is that worth it for Chase?

Of course not. No fucking way do the Bengals move Chase. He’s a top 3 talent in this league in his prime. You keep players like that. Especially in Cincinnati when they don’t come around all that often.

To use your example…We just saw this play out with Jessie Bates.

For the all the “savings” of not wanting to guarantee year 2 of a deal for an All-Pro safety. The Bengals have since spent a 1st rounder on Dax Hill, a 3rd on Jordan Battle, and about $20 million in FA money on Nick Scott, Geno Stone and Vonn Bell 2.0 trying to fill the void. And will yet again be looking for safeties in the draft and FA.

Keep your cornerstone guys. Period.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Anything less than two 1sts and two 2nds and you got ripped off

 

[DanBengalfan]

remember earlier in the year when a bunch of people were crying because we didn't sign Justin Jefferson? mostly people on facebook.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Chase is pretty damn good. Him and Burrow together for next 10 years would be nice. Set all the duo records.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I guess we won't have an issue signing Chase, and.....

MSN

 

[cincygrad]

You're damn right we aren't moving Chase. I think it is abundantly clear that Chase is the best receiver in football and I don't think it is particularly close. Pitcher's passing schemes have unlocked Chase's true talents - He runs great routes, he's a beast after the catch and he can still take the roof off at any point.

As for the all of the Higgins talk from last night..... I think people hang on Burrow's words a little too much and they assume he is more in charge than he really is. This is the Brown/Blackburns we are talking about. Jesus Christ himself could be our quarterback and he wouldn't be in charge of their money. Remember when everyone said that Burrow was taking less money because he said he would work out a deal that could keep all the players here?

The bottom line is that Tee Higgins will get paid what the market dictates.... And right now, that market price includes a lot of guaranteed money. I just don't see his agent letting him take less, and I don't see the Bengals willing to meet his demands. I think they know they have to do it with Chase, but I don't forsee a world in which there is still enough money to retain Tee. I still wouldn't be surprised to see them tag him, though I wonder if they made a secret handshake deal with him during the first tag to make sure that he wouldn't hold out. Hard to know.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Tee Higgins has a remarkable opportunity to sit and wait. he has until next novermber to sign with a team if he wants to be in the playoffs. he doesn't have to go to camp, he doesn't have to play in the preseason or early games. just heal that body and sign with whoever the contender is next year, and that actually could be the bengals.

 

[cincygrad]

I take back what I said about Burrow's words being empty in this case. He doubled down on them during his press conference today. I don't think he would be this specific if he didn't know something. Mostly because I don't think he wants to spend all of next season being asked about whether he is mad at the Bengals for letting Tee walk. There is also news coming out that Tee has dropped his agent. See other post....

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Anything less than two 1sts and two 2nds and you got ripped off

Ain’t no way in hell I would trade Chase. Never, ever.

 

[Ojb81]

Chase to the Steelers for a 5th rd pick. Let's do it