NFL trade grades: Latest Bengals-Bears deal will infuriate Chase Brown fantasy managers
By Mark Powell
The Cincinnati Bengals opted to move on from Joe Mixon this offseason, trading him to the Houston Texans for draft capital. In doing so, the Bengals bet on the replacement theory, in that running backs are a dime a dozen. Cincinnati added Zack Moss, who has not performed up to the same standard, and averages just over three yards per carry.
Chase Brown has since taken over as the lead back. Brown's numbers, while modest, do give the Bengals something to work with. He has 479 yards on over 4.5 yards per carry as of this writing. However, with Moss out indefinitely with a neck injury, the Bengals didn't have much relief behind Brown, their 2023 fifth-round pick out of Illinois.
That all changed on Tuesday, the morning of the NFL trade deadline, as the Bengals added another back. Cincinnati is 4-5 on the season and closing in on an AFC Wild Card spot. Khalil Herbert could be part of something special, as he was sent from the WIndy City to the Bengals for a draft pick.
We have traded Khalil Herbert to the Bengals in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 5, 2024
Who won the Khalil Herbert trade, Bengals or Bears?
The Bengals depth chart with Herbert in the mix is quite simple, actually. He'll take the majority of Moss's carries until he is healthy.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
RB1 | Chase Brown |
RB2 | Zack Moss (injured) |
RB3 | Khalil Herbert |
Herbert's been a ghost in the Bears backfield this season, receiving just eight carries overall. In seasons past, the elusive Virginia Tech product was a force to be reckoned with. Herbert's best season came in 2022, when he had 731 yards on 5.7 yards per carry. Even last year, Herbert averaged 4.6 yards per carry, which essentially equals the likes of Brown, who is the lead in the Cincinnati backfield.
Herbert was buried on the Bears depth chart this season, but he does bring a power element to the Bengals rushing attack that's been missing since Mixon left. For the price of a seventh-round pick – a selection which rarely works out anyway – Cincinnati made a move that could aid their postseason push.
The Bears, meanwhile, have a dysfunctional locker room and have lost two games in a row, one being on a Hail Mary thanks to Tyrique Stevenson. In going from Chicago to Cincinnati, Herbert leaves his past behind, but also gets a fresh start with a team that has a better chance of winning in the short term than the Bears – despite Caleb Williams and the young talent on their roster.
Cincinnati Bengals trade grade: B+
Chicago Bears trade grade: C+
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