Bengals fans smartly did not want Cincinnati to trade back into Round 1

TL;DR

Cincinnati Bengals fans opposed trading back into the first round of the NFL draft, favoring their current strategy. The team successfully acquired All-Pro Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Cashius Howell without sacrificing additional draft capital.

Key points

Bengals did not have a first-round selection in 2025
Fans preferred not to trade back into the first round
Bengals acquired Dexter Lawrence and Cashius Howell
Trading back would have cost significant draft capital
Fans and front office satisfied with draft outcomes

Cincinnati BengalsCleveland Browns

Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin gives a thumbs up during warmups before the NFL Week 1 game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Cincinnati Bengals were without a first round selection for the first time in many fans’ memories. They swapped the No. 10 selection for All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to come in and control the line of scrimmage, something they haven’t been able to do since they lost D.J. Reader. That left many wondering if a player was falling, should Cincinnati try to trade back into the first round to catch a steal? According to SB Nation’s recent survey, Bengals fans weren’t looking for the team to do anything of the sort:

It makes sense, especially with how Round 1 came to an end with a run on offensive players, especially offensive linemen. Not that the Bengals wouldn’t have considered an offensive lineman if one of those fell to them in the second. However, it seemed like they were probably watching their board, astounded that so many defensive players were still around so late. This led to the team taking edge rusher Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M with the 41st pick: A very good prospect that had a good chance of not being there. The move to get back in for a player would probably have cost the team at least their third-round selection, if not more, from the 2027 draft, depending on how far back in they’d be looking to go. As it played out, the Bengals seemed to do the right thing. They walked away after the first two rounds with an absolute game-changer in Lawrence and a very valuable pass rusher in Howell without giving up even more draft capital to get there. So the front office and fans can both walk away from that situation happy, something we’ve not been able to say enough in previous drafts. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\_ *This survey was brought to you by* !

Q&A

Why did Bengals fans not want to trade back into the first round?

Bengals fans believed the team should stick to its strategy and were satisfied with the players acquired, particularly All-Pro Dexter Lawrence and Cashius Howell.

What players did the Bengals draft in the 2025 NFL draft?

The Bengals drafted All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Cashius Howell from Texas A&M in the 2025 NFL draft.

What was the cost of trading back into the first round for the Bengals?

Trading back into the first round would likely have cost the Bengals at least their third-round selection, or more, depending on how far they intended to move up.