McKinnley Jackson, the defensive tackle the Bengals selected in the third round of last year’s draft, has officially asked for a trade or his release. And here’s the kicker: he’s the third defensive player to bail in recent weeks. If this were a reality show, we’d be calling it “Keeping Up with the Bengals’ Dysfunction.”
What’s Really Going On In Cincinnati?
Let’s rewind for a second. Jackson’s situation is about as ugly as they come for a young player trying to make his mark in the NFL. The kid from Texas A&M has been a healthy scratch for six of the team’s first eight games this season. Six games!
His only action came in Week 5 against the Lions, where he played a whopping six defensive snaps. To put that in perspective, that’s about as much playing time as the guy who holds the clipboard gets during warmups.
Last season wasn’t much better for Jackson. After starting on injured reserve thanks to a knee injury he picked up in training camp, he managed to appear in 13 games with one start. His stat line? Fifteen tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Not terrible for a rookie coming back from injury, but apparently not enough to keep him in the rotation this year.
The Exodus Continues
Jackson isn’t flying solo on this departure flight. Linebacker Logan Wilson requested a trade last week, which ESPN broke on October 23. Then there’s Mike Pennel, the defensive tackle who reached a noninjury settlement with the team that led to his release. Plot twist? The Chiefs immediately scooped him up. Nothing says “we made a mistake” quite like watching your former player sign with the back-to-back Super Bowl champs.
This mass exodus didn’t happen in a vacuum. The Bengals made some serious defensive staff changes in the offseason, replacing Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo with Al Golden, who had previously coached linebackers for the team back in 2020 and 2021. Since Golden took over, Jackson’s playing time has basically vanished.
Coaching Staff Weighs In
Golden tried to put a positive spin on Jackson’s situation back on October 17, saying, “He’s got power, he’s got knee bend, he’s got strength. I would love at some point for that to translate for us and get him going. So he’s on that journey right now, and he knows what he needs to do.”
The Trade Deadline Looms
With the NFL trade deadline hitting Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, the Bengals have some decisions to make. Do they grant Jackson’s request and try to salvage something in return? Or do they dig in their heels and keep a disgruntled young player on the roster?
For Jackson, this has to be frustrating beyond belief. He’s at that critical point in his career where he needs reps to develop, but instead, he’s watching from the sidelines while his NFL dreams gather dust. The kid wants to play football—can you blame him for wanting out?
What This Means For the Bengals
Look, three defensive players requesting trades or releases in a matter of weeks isn’t just bad optics. It’s a five-alarm fire that suggests something deeper is wrong with the organization’s defensive culture. Whether it’s the coaching changes, scheme fit, or something else entirely, the Bengals need to figure this out before more players start heading for the exits.
The Bengals are sitting at 3-5 and fighting for playoff relevance. The last thing they need is internal turmoil bleeding into the locker room and tanking their season completely. As Tuesday’s deadline approaches, all eyes will be on Cincinnati to see if they pull the trigger on moving Jackson—and potentially others. One thing’s for certain: this isn’t the kind of trade deadline buzz any team wants to be generating.
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