NFL Trade Deadline 2016: Everything you need to know

The 2016 NFL trade deadline is upon us, and it’s already been a wild trade season thus far.

We’ve seen the Patriots send star linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns for a compensatory third-round pick in next year’s draft. This is the first time a comp pick has been traded, something that is first going into effect for the 2017 NFL Draft. That will likely be the biggest move any team makes, but the Bengals have certainly seen bigger in their history.

Then again, even since the Bengals traded Carson Palmer for multiple draft picks in 2011, we’ve rarely seen any trade of note to come out of Cincinnati, especially at the regular-season trade deadline.

There’s no question the current Bengals have a lot of holes that could use the help of a trade, but it’s never easy getting such a deal done. And sometimes when they are done, they don’t work out so smoothly, especially in the middle of the season. When trades do occur at this time in the NFL year, we usually see deals that involve backups going to teams needing depth, like the Broncos recently trading for Patriots tight end A.J. Derby.

There are rarely ever any big deals at this time of year. Every franchise has until Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. ET to get a deal done for the 2016 NFL season. In most cases, trades occur with playoff hopefuls and rebuilding franchises, just like the Patriots and Browns. Though, it’s usually the other way around where the Patriots would be the team acquiring talent, not giving it away.

That makes it hard for teams like the 3-4-1 Bengals to get a deal done when they’re not yet sure if they should rebuild, stand pat, or make a big trade to increase their playoff odds. Being that the 4-3 Steelers lead the AFC North by a narrow margin, making a deal to make the Bengals’ roster stronger is what Cincinnati should do. But will they? It would be a major surprise, though, the team is in its bye week and could make some phone calls today.

The Bengals are also in good position to make a trade thanks to a host of draft picks in 2017 thanks to several compensatory draft picks likely coming. That’s why trading a fourth or fifth-round pick to get, say, a defensive end or kicker, could be a move that helps the Bengals without losing much at all.

Whatever happens, we’ll know by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 1, whether the Bengals are standing pat or making a deal.

Which position(s) would you like to see the Bengals attempt to target in a trade?