Bengals abandon Ebiketie trade amid potential cost to compensatory draft pick

The Cincinnati Bengals backed away from a deadline deal for Philadelphia Eagles edge defender Arnold Ebiketie after the proposed acquisition appeared likely to cost more than the sixth-round draft pick they had agreed to send. The move also would have put at risk the compensatory third-round selection Cincinnati is due in 2027 following Trey Hendrickson's departure in free agency.

The agreement was intended to reinforce Cincinnati's pass rush with Cashius Howell on injured reserve because of a wrist injury. Instead, it became a notable transaction that never materialized on a Tuesday deadline day that produced six completed trades. Cincinnati finished without making an in-season trade this year.

Speaking Wednesday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said director of personnel Duke Tobin had asked him to explain the situation publicly. Taylor described himself as uncomfortable delivering that message but said the attempt to add depth had proved more expensive than the team initially anticipated. He said Tobin was apologetic and wanted Philadelphia's cooperation acknowledged, placing responsibility for the failed deal on Cincinnati's side.

Nick Korte, a contributor to contract information site OverTheCap, first flagged the potential draft-pick problem. Philadelphia signed Ebiketie during the offseason as a compensatory free agent, a designation that factors into the calculation of compensatory selections. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, that status follows a player who is traded during the season, meaning Cincinnati would have inherited its effect on the formula.

The Bengals may have treated Cordell Volson's departure as the loss of a compensatory free agent that would balance the acquisition. However, Volson has not played this year, so his departure does not count toward that balance. The apparent consequence of acquiring Ebiketie was therefore the loss of the third-round compensatory pick associated with Hendrickson.

Taylor said the unsuccessful move had taken little time away from his Tuesday preparations beyond a brief discussion with Tobin. He also said it would not affect work ahead of the Week 10 Sunday Night Football meeting with Pittsburgh. Both teams enter that matchup at 6-2, sharing first place in the AFC North, while Cincinnati has won four consecutive games.

Although other leading AFC teams, including Jacksonville, Kansas City and Denver, completed trades, Taylor expressed confidence in Cincinnati's existing roster and the front office that assembled it. He said Tobin shared that assessment despite the attention surrounding possible deadline additions. “I really like where we're at,” Taylor said.