Dallas acquired cornerback Bene Benwikere from Cincinnati for…
Dallas acquired cornerback Bene Benwikere from Cincinnati for a conditional 2019 sixth-round pick that ultimately conveyed at No. 198. Benwikere appeared in 12 games for the Cowboys in 2017 but did not start and recorded only two tackles. Cincinnati later included No. 198 in the package used to move up for quarterback Ryan Finley, giving the Bengals modest but more durable draft flexibility from a player they were willing to move.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 2019 6th round pick (198th overall subsequently traded, Tim Harris)
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Bene Benwikere
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Dallas traded a conditional 2019 sixth-round pick to Cincinnati for cornerback Bene Benwikere on roster-cut weekend in 2017. The condition was eventually met, making the selection pick No. 198. Benwikere joined a Cowboys secondary that needed veteran depth, while Cincinnati created future draft capital from a player who was not central to its plans.
Why Cincinnati Has the Edge
Benwikere did provide Dallas with emergency depth, appearing in 12 games, but he never started for the Cowboys and recorded only two tackles that season. His Dallas tenure ended after one year. That limited contribution makes the price small but still meaningful. Cincinnati held the pick until the 2019 draft, when No. 198 became part of the package sent to San Francisco so the Bengals could move from No. 110 to No. 104 for quarterback Ryan Finley.
How the Return Aged
Finley did not become Cincinnati's long-term quarterback, so the Bengals cannot claim a major hit from this chain. The point is narrower: Cincinnati turned a dispensable veteran into an asset that helped the club execute a later move, while Dallas received only limited reserve snaps. Because the sixth-rounder was one part of a larger trade-up, its downstream value should not be overstated. Even so, retaining flexible draft capital gave Cincinnati another option that Dallas no longer possessed.
Final Verdict
Cincinnati earns a B- and Dallas a C. The Cowboys addressed a short-term need at low cost, but the Bengals squeezed more useful value from a player they were prepared to lose. Cincinnati Bengals Win.