Is it a bit of a stretch to suggest the Cincinnati Bengals' outlook for the future has anything to do with the New England Patriots' decision to trade wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk? Perhaps, but bear with me!
In a move that would make Bill Belichick blush with pride if he didn't have such animosity toward most folks in Foxborough nowadays, the Pats jettisoned their 2024 second-round pick in an otherwise-forgettable transaction on Saturday.
One of the big bummers about Week 1 for Cincinnati occurred even before the ball kicked off in Cleveland. And its shadow still lingers in the aftermath of the Pats' Polk deal.