The Cincinnati Bengals have a well-earned reputation as a team that doesn’t work the trade block often.
And that’s no better confirmed than via Wednesday’s trade of Carlos Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks. As The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. pointed out, that marks just the second time since 1985 the Bengals have pulled off an in-season trade.
The other time? Back in 2012 when the Bengals traded Carson Palmer.
Fittingly, both occasions took weird circumstances to come to fruition. Palmer refused to play for the team and forced his way out, with a Hue Jackson connection being the only thing that actually helped a trade happen.
Dunlap appeared to force his way out too, seemingly over dissatisfaction with how the coaching staff wanted to use him.
It speaks to how set in their approach the Bengals get once the season’s opening gun fires, for better or worse. And, given the COVID-19 protocols and concerns, it speaks to just how sour the relationship with Dunlap had become, too.
Oddly enough, given the 3-19-1 nature of Zac Taylor’s tenure so far and the continued transition away from a certain group of veteran players, it sure feels like we could see trade No. 3 since 1985 before next Tuesday’s deadline.
