The Eagles’ plan to move Arnold Ebiketie to Cincinnati hit a wall before it could become official, and the reason had nothing to do with the edge rusher himself.
Philadelphia and the Bengals had agreed Tuesday morning, just hours before the NFL trade deadline, on a deal that would have sent Ebiketie to Cincinnati for a 2027 sixth-round pick. But multiple reports say the Bengals are now backing away from the trade because of the compensatory pick formula.
The issue is simple, if painful for Cincinnati: making the deal would cost the Bengals a third-round compensatory pick they were set to receive for Trey Hendrickson signing with the Baltimore Ravens. In other words, the Bengals would have gained a 2027 sixth-rounder but lost a 2027 third-round comp pick in the process.
Ebiketie, a former Penn State and Temple standout, signed with the Eagles in March on a one-year deal worth up to $7.3 million, with $4.3 million guaranteed. He arrived in Philadelphia after four seasons with the Falcons, who drafted him out of Penn State in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.
This season, with the Eagles dealing with injuries to edge rushers Jaylx Hunt, Jonathan Greenard and Nolan Smith, Ebiketie logged 48% of the defensive snaps. In nine games, he finished with 25 tackles and two QB hits.
When he joined the Eagles, Ebiketie said it was “meant to be”.
For now, that remains true in Philadelphia - unless the Eagles line up another trade partner for him.
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