Bengals in Trade Talks with Cardinals to Move Up for Trent Richardson?

So it begins. The day after the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, reports are already surfacing that the Cincinnati Bengals may trade up to take Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

This initial report comes from National Football Authority, which cites a league source as saying the Bengals would like to move up:

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After speaking to a team executive on Monday, National Football Authority senior writer Bear Heiser has learned the Bengals are eager to move up in the first round to secure themselves the top running back in this draft class—Alabama Crimson Tide's Trent Richardson.

Along with this information, the source also provided info as to who the Bengals have been talking with in the first round and it was none other than the Arizona Cardinals—who are itching to move down in the first round along with acquiring more drafts picks in the deal.

 

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Now, if this were to happen, the Bengals would likely have give up the 17th pick and possibly one or two later selections in the later rounds to move up to Arizona's 13th pick.

The move makes sense if the Bengals are truly adamant in landing Richardson, highly regarded as the best running back to enter the NFL since Minnesota's Adrian Peterson.

The report goes against what offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said recently in that the team would like to move to a three-back approach.

The Bengals have two first-round picks thanks to the now infamous Carson Palmer trade, and trading with the Cardinals makes sense because it only jumps them four spots. Trading with Arizona allows them to still keep two first-round picks—the 13th and the 21st.

The proposition of a three-headed attack consisting of Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Trent Richardson has some already fearing the possibility. The Bengals front office has to be thinking the same thing, even if they don't state that publicly.

While it's all speculation at this point, the move would make sense. If Richardson makes it to the Cardinals' selection on draft, don't be surprised to hear a trade with Cincinnati announced by commissioner Roger Goodell.

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