Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Cincinnati was responsible for the failed effort to trade for Eagles edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie before Tuesday’s deadline.
On Wednesday, Taylor read a prepared statement from Duke Tobin, the Bengals’ director of football. Taylor said Tobin had been specific about how he wanted the situation explained, though Taylor admitted he wasn’t entirely comfortable reading the statement.
Tobin said Cincinnati had tried to add depth after losing Cashius Howell, but the cost was higher than the team expected. He also stressed that Philadelphia had been a willing trade partner and that the breakdown was Cincinnati’s fault.
Initial reports said the Bengals and Eagles had agreed to a deal that would send Ebiketie to Cincinnati for a 2027 sixth-round pick. But the agreement fell apart as the teams worked through the final details.
ESPN reported Wednesday that Cincinnati learned it would also have to give up a compensatory draft pick to complete the trade. The Bengals then pulled out. It remains unclear exactly when the team realized that extra compensation was required.
Cincinnati received the pick after losing more qualifying free agents than it signed, including Trey Hendrickson. NFL salary-cap analyst Nick Korte noted the potential loss of the pick after the deal was first reported as agreed, but before news broke that it had collapsed.
Taylor said he didn’t ask Tobin for more details on Tuesday. The specifics, he said, didn’t affect him much, and he trusted the front office’s handling of the situation.
The Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday’s first NFL game in Madrid, earning their fourth straight win. They host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.
