The Cincinnati Bengals clearly have some issues so far this season. They have started 0-2, and they do not exactly look like the Super Bowl contenders everyone expected them to be when the schedule began.
Joe Burrow, considered one of the two or three best quarterbacks in the NFL, is off to a very poor start with a 56.9 percent completion rate and a 70.6 passer rating. Even worse, he re-aggravated the strained calf he suffered early in training camp, and his status for Cincinnati’s Week 3 contest versus the Los Angeles Rams is in question.
In general, the team’s offense is struggling, especially its rushing offense. It ranks 25th in rushing touchdowns and 28th in rushing yards, and tailback Joe Mixon has left something to be desired.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor, the star running back for the Indianapolis Colts, is on the trade block after he failed to secure the lucrative contract extension he demanded. He asked to be traded shortly afterward, and the Colts eventually gave him and allowed him to seek one.
Perhaps the Bengals should make a bold offer for Taylor, not only to bolster their weak offense but to also take some pressure off Burrow, especially if Burrow will have to miss more than a game or two.
Proposed trade:
Bengals Receive: Jonathan Taylor
Colts Receive: Joe Mixon, 2024 Third-Round Pick
This may seem like a somewhat underwhelming return for Indianapolis given Taylor’s talent and production, plus the fact that he’s just 24 years of age. However, the team doesn’t really have any leverage, and the Bengals should take advantage.
While Mixon’s production has fallen off ever since the 2021 season when he ran for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning him a Pro Bowl nod, he could augment a Colts running game that ranked 20th in yards coming into Week 3.
Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson has already contributed 75 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in two games, so perhaps a combination of him, Mixon and Zack Moss would be enough for the team to be competitive.
Meanwhile, a focused and motivated Taylor could change the way opponents would have to scheme against the Bengals. Perhaps opponents wouldn’t be able to pressure Burrow as much, and Taylor’s excellence on the ground would open up things for wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
In 2021, Jonathan Taylor amassed 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, both of which led the league, and last year he had 861 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in 11 games.
