What are the Cincinnati Bengals doing?! That's an evergreen question. Well, if one trade proposal comes true, sending their first-round pick to the Green Bay Packers is what they'd be doing.
Mitchel Milani of Bleacher Report looked at potential landing spots for Bengals pass-rusher Shemar Stewart, selected 17th overall less than two months ago, and the list included the Packers.
Milani's proposal saw Green Bay sending Lukas Van Ness and a 2027 third-round pick to Cincinnati for the Texas A&M pass-rusher. It would be a home-run move for the Packers.
Before we break down the trade itself, let's rewind. Could the Bengals really trade away their first-round pick so soon? For now, it seems unlikely, but they've created quite the mess, and it's unclear how this story will end.
They apparently didn't learn their lesson from the Trey Hendrickson drama -- the reigning sack leader requested a trade due to a failure to land a new deal in Cincinnati, a decision many hoped would put him on the Packers' trade radar.
The Bengals still haven't solved the Hendrickson problem, but in the meantime, they drafted Stewart as a potential long-term replacement. The irony? They've walked straight into a contract disaster with him, too.
According to Ben Baby of ESPN, the Bengals want Stewart's contract to include language that "could void guaranteed money in future years." In other words, Stewart has every reason to be frustrated.
Would the Bengals even consider trading him? Maybe not. But Baby notes that if Stewart doesn't sign his rookie contract, he could re-enter the NFL Draft next year, where any team (except the Bengals) could draft him. So maybe the Bengals would eventually have to listen to offers, although Baby noted that they will be forbidden to trade him after August 5 if he hasn't signed his rookie deal.
Let's take this back to the Packers' perspective.
Bleacher Report's Packers-Shemar Stewart trade proposal would come with risk, but huge upside
The biggest risk to the Packers wouldn't be related to Stewart holding out of the Bengals' offseason program. He is understandably frustrated. The gamble would be giving up on Van Ness, who, despite his disappointing production, has two years of development in Green Bay.
Stewart has All-Pro upside but managed just 4.5 sacks combined in three seasons at Texas A&M.
But the Packers showed clear interest before the draft, having hosted Stewart on a Top 30 visit. He put in an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl while earning a perfect 10.00 Relative Athletic Score with his work at the NFL Combine.
We'll never know whether Green Bay would've drafted Stewart had he fallen to No. 23. The Bengals selected him six picks earlier.
GM Brian Gutekunst has never shied away from drafting pass-rushers with All-Pro upside despite not entering the league with consistent college production. He proved that by selecting Rashan Gary and Van Ness, who needed time to develop.
The Bleacher Report trade proposal would make a lot of sense for the Packers. It would require giving up on Van Ness ahead of his third season, but he has fallen short of expectations to this point. Stewart could become an All-Pro in Green Bay's defense.
For Van Ness and a 2027 third-rounder, it's a gamble worth taking. But would the Bengals even entertain it? They need to figure something out, or they could enter the season without the reigning NFL sack champion and their first-round pick.