Bengals trade deadline addition makes worst first impression possible

Maybe this is why the Cincinnati Bengals never make trades. In his first snap with the team after being acquired via trade from the Chicago Bears, running back Khalil Herbert took the handoff from Joe Burrow... and fumbled. The running back was able to fall on the ball so it technically could have been worse, but this is not the first impression a player wants to make on his new team.

It's all uphill from here for Khalil Herbert

The Bengals made an extremely rare trade at the deadline when they swapped a seventh-round pick for Herbert, hoping he would come in and replace injured running back Zack Moss. Cincinnati is notorious for not making trades, so for the team to make any deals came as a shock to Bengals fans. This team likes to stick with what they know, and who can blame them? Change is scary!

On the bright side, things can only go up for Herbert from here on out. Maybe he'll end up being a key piece of Cincy's offense and he'll look back at this play and laugh. Maybe that's optimistic. Maybe he won't get another carry tonight. Players being traded can't be easy, though — they have to move to a new city, meet new teammates, get used to a new scheme, etc. Now starts the Khalil Herbert redemption arc, right? He's a serviceable running back.

In three-plus years with the Bears, Herbert rushed for nearly 1800 yards and scored 9 touchdowns, adding two scores on the ground as well. He had some nice moments in Chicago and is certainly going to get another chance in Cincy's offense as the team doesn't have a ton of depth at the position behind Chase Brown, and there's nowhere to go but up for Herbert with his new crew.