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Home International AFC contenders improved at the NFL trade deadline. The Bengals didn’t

AFC contenders improved at the NFL trade deadline. The Bengals didn’t

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Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game

Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.

(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)

The Cincinnati Bengals were rolling until the NFL’s trade deadline day on Nov. 10.

Four wins in a row and a 6-2 record. A successful week abroad where the organization shined on the field at Madrid’s iconic Bernabeu stadium, and off the field as they represented themselves and the NFL in regal fashion.

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On the tail end of all that, the Bengals are scheduled to host a primetime showdown against co-AFC North leader, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a clash of 6-2 teams.

Instead of riding high because of everything that’s going right at the moment, the whole conversation whiplashed around Nov. 10 after the Bengals reportedly backed out of a deal for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.

Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin speaks at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin speaks at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

After the Ebiketie deal dissolved, Cincinnati went without a deal over the remaining hours of the NFL trade deadline.

Here’s what the Bengals’ lack of deals means for the team going forward:

While Super Bowl contenders loaded up, Bengals stood still

At 6-2, the Bengals are competing for the AFC North title, and even better position for a wild-card playoff berth. But no matter how much the Bengals might like their current roster to reach the postseason by some means, they could have gotten better at the trade deadline.

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They didn’t.

Meanwhile, the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (6-1) loaded up at the trade deadline with multiple marquee moves. The AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills (7-1) made a big deal to improve their defense via acquiring Amani Hooker (Bengals fans should remember Hooker from Nov. 1 when he intercepted Joe Burrow three times, then as a Tennessee Titans player).

Just ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline for deals, the Chiefs’ offense got better, too, when they added receiver Josh Downs.

Maybe the Bengals decided the possible moves in front of them would have required them to mortgage their future via parting with vital draft capital. In that case, the Bengals were probably wise in their deadline dealings. That still doesn’t change the fact that their roster is unchanged, and the AFC contenders they’ll likely have to deal with during a long postseason run almost all enhanced their rosters.

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Bengals choose to stick with current running backs

Cincinnati has the third-worst running game in the NFL at 85.6 yards per game, and only the Las Vegas Raiders (71.3) and Green Bay Packers (68.2) are worse. The Bengals rushed for less than 100 yards in five of right games so far this season and No. 1 running back Chase Brown’s single-game rushing high in 2026 is 80 yards (and that happened in Week 2).

There were plenty of cries for the Bengals to add a running back via trade. Indianapolis Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor was a big name fans and pundits suggested could fit in Cincinnati. Not knowing what the Colts wanted in return for Taylor, maybe the Bengals absolutely did the right thing by staying away from him. Still, Cincinnati didn’t improve or supplement its running back room, which has disappointed more often than not in 2026.

Bengals’ bend-but-don’t-break defense doesn’t get an upgrade

Cincinnati seemed a strong candidate for at least supplementary additions at every level of the defense. It’s a defense that, while seemingly lacking for depth, had held opponents to less than 20 points in half the games this season. They’ve allowed more than 27 points once (and won that Nov. 1 game vs. the Titans). With 21.9 points per game allowed, defensive coordinator Al Golden’s unit has essentially done the job of giving the Bengals’ prolific offense a chance in every single game so far in 2026. You could argue the defense is principally responsible for one of two of Cincy’s six wins to-date.

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But that’s not to say the defense is perfect, nor does it point to them being deep. Cincinnati is still in the bottom third of the NFL in terms of yards allowed (354.9 yard per game). There are holes there, and the Bengals didn’t fill any via the trade deadline.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden walks the field in the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. The Bengals won the international matchup, 34-17.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden walks the field in the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. The Bengals won the international matchup, 34-17.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: AFC contenders improved at the NFL trade deadline. The Bengals didn’t

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com

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