The Cincinnati Bengals are sitting at 3-2 and right in the mix of the AFC North. With Joe Burrow at quarterback, it is clear the team is going to be buyers at the trade deadline. With linebackers being one of the biggest questions on the roster, Cody Barton of the Tennessee Titans is one of the most logical fits for the Bengals, according to Tyler Reed of Bengals OnSI.
Reed notes that the Titans are not going to be competitive this year, so getting something back for Barton would be a win.
“Barton is a piece that can bring them back some value while also giving a competitive team a nice addition to their defense,” wrote Reed.
Barton has a cap hit of less than $6M for the rest of the season. He is also signed through the 2027 season, although almost none of it is guaranteed. So, the Bengals could release Barton with minimal salary cap impact after the season.
Cincinnati Bengals Could Trade for Cody Barton
Barton is a former third-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft. He was a core special teams option under Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks for the first three seasons of his NFL career. Then, he got a chance to start in 2022. He started in 11 games and had 136 total tackles.
The Seahawks let him go in free agency, and he signed a one-year, $3.5M deal with the Washington Commanders in free agency. He started in 13 games for the Commanders, but they did not retain him.
Barton joined the Denver Broncos on a one-year, $2.5M deal. He started 14 games and turned around his reputation. Barton maxed out his play and signed a three-year, $21M deal with the Titans in free agency.
However, early into year two of his deal, he is with a new coaching staff and a team that is 1-5. They could trade Barton to clear cap space. So, it would not cost the Bengals much to add a 66-game starter.
Bengals Need Linebacker Help
The Bengals brought back their two starters from the 2025 season. Both Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter started as rookies and are back in year two.
Knight is a former second-round pick. He has gotten better in year two, but that is because he was a major liability as a rookie. His PFF grade as a rookie was 40.4. The following season, it was 59.7.
Carter is a former fourth-round pick. He had a 39.5 grade as a rookie. However, his grade is up to 65.6 this year. Neither has proven to be a strong option yet. Both have taken steps, but not enough that the Bengals should feel good about a playoff run.
If the Bengals want to develop them, that is a fair strategy. However, if the plan is to win a Super Bowl, trading for Barton would make sense.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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