CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals own the No. 18 pick in next month’s NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean they are going to make the No. 18 pick.
The Bengals have utilized the process of trading back to acquire extra picks five times in the last seven drafts, including last year when they did it in the third round, dropping from No. 92 to 95 for an extra sixth-round pick.
Cincinnati ended up with safety Jordan Battle at No. 95 and punter Brad Robbins with the sixth-round selection.
NFL Draft History of Trading the No. 18 Pick
The Bengals are in the market for a right tackle, but four are likely to be gone by the time they pick at No. 18, and that number could go as high as five or maybe even six.
If there is a crazy run on tackles and the Bengals don’t have a first-round grade on anyone left on the board, it would make sense for them to move back. How far they go back will determine the compensation, but three spots back would get them something in the late third/early fourth round.
Dropping six spots would return a mid-third-rounder. And going all the way back 10 spots to 28 could put them in range for a late second-rounder.
It’s not just the Bengals who are fond of making deals to acquire extra picks. The number of trades in the first round has skyrocketed of late, going from 14 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 14 in 2021 to 27 in 2022, and 24 last year.
I looked at the last 25 drafts to see how often the No. 18 pick was traded (nine times) and to get a gauge of what type of return the team moving back received, both in terms of picks and the players selected with them.
2022: The Philadelphia Eagles traded No. 18 to the Tennessee Titans for wide receiver A.J. Brown and a 2022 third-round pick, No. 101 (tight end Jeremy Ruckert).
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The Titans drafted wide receiver Treylon Burks with the No. 18 pick.
2020: The Pittsburgh Steelers traded No. 18 along with a 2020 fifth-round pick, No. 154 (defensive end Jason Strowbridge), and a 2021 sixth-round pick, No. 226 (later traded to the Kansas City Chiefs), for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a 2020 fourth-round pick, No. 135 (guard Kevin Dotson) and a 2021 seventh-round pick, No. 245 (cornerback Tre Norwood).
Miami drafted tackle Austin Jackson at No. 18.
2018: The Seattle Seahawks traded No. 18 and a 2018 seventh-round pick, No. 248 (linebacker Kendall Donnerson), to the Green Bay Packers for No. 27 (running back Rashaad Penny), a 2018 third-round pick, No. 76 (later traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers) and a 2018 sixth-round pick, No. 186 (defensive end Jake Martin).
The Packers used No. 18 to select cornerback Jaire Alexander.
2013: The Dallas Cowboys traded No. 18 to the San Francisco 49ers for No. 31 (center Travis Frederick) and a 2013 third-round pick, No. 74 (wide receiver Terrance Williams).
2009: The Chicago Bears traded No. 18, quarterback Kyle Orton, a 2009 third-round pick, No. 84 (later dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers), and a 2010 first-round pick, No. 11 Anthony Davis) to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler and a 2009 fifth-round pick, No. 140 (wide receiver Johnny Knox).
The Broncos used No. 18 to select defensive end Robert Ayers.
2008: The Houston Texans traded No. 18 to the Baltimore Ravens for No. 26 (tackle Duane Brown), a 2008 third-round pick, No. 89 (wide receiver Steve Slaton), and a 2008 sixth-round pick, No. 173 (Dominique Barber).
The Ravens drafted quarterback Joe Flacco with No. 18.
2003: The New Orleans Saints traded No. 17, No. 18, and a 2003 second-round pick, No. 54 (wide receiver Anquan Boldin), to the Arizona Cardinals for No. 6 (defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan), a 2003 second-round pick, No. 37 (tackle Jon Stinchcomb) and a 2003 fourth-round pick, No. 102 (guard, Montrae Holland).
Arizona selected wide receiver Bryant Johnson with No. 17 and defensive end Calvin Pace with No. 18.
2002: Washington traded No. 18 to the Oakland Raiders for No. 21 (later dealt to the New England Patriots) and a 2002 third-round pick, No. 89 (later sent to the Jacksonville Jaguars).
The Raiders turned around and traded No. 18 and a 2002 fifth-round pick, No. 158 (quarterback Kurt Kittner), to the Atlanta Falcons for No. 17 (cornerback Phillip Buchanon).
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Atlanta drafted running back T.J. Duckett at No. 18.
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