“It was on our end,” said Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals head coach, to reporters on Wednesday.
The organization took full responsibility for the aborted trade involving Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, which failed to close before the NFL’s 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday.
Cincinnati had initially agreed to terms to acquire Ebiketie in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick. However, the move was scrapped after the front office discovered that completing the deal would also forfeit a 2027 third-round compensatory pick the team was slated to receive due to the previous departure of defensive end Trey Hendrickson in free agency.
According to reporting from The MMQB, the NFL maintains a specific rule to prevent teams from exploiting sign-and-trade loopholes, which dictates that a player moved within the first year of his contract counts against the compensatory pick formula as if the acquiring team had signed him as a free agent.
Taylor addressed the failed move on behalf of de facto general manager Duke Tobin. The head coach explained that Tobin wanted the team’s accountability made clear to the public, even though Taylor noted he was not personally comfortable speaking on the administrative details of the trade.
Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor has apologized on behalf of the front office for the team's failed trade for Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, saying "it was on our end," ESPN reported. Speaking on Wednesday for the first… pic.twitter.com/eBAIFgjTAq
“Duke was very explicit with me when he came and spoke to me about how he wanted this portrayed,” Taylor said. “I’m not comfortable doing it, but I’m going to do what he asked.”
The pursuit of Ebiketie was intended to shore up defensive line depth. Taylor confirmed the team had attempted to secure the player as an alternative following recent circumstances affecting the roster. As negotiations proceeded, the front office realized the total cost in draft capital was higher than initially anticipated due to the compensatory pick implications.
The situation drew comparisons to the 2017 trade deadline, when a deal between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to send quarterback A.J. McCarron to Cleveland fell through because the paperwork was not filed before the deadline. In this instance, the Bengals opted to stand pat and proceed with their roster as currently constructed after the trade was nixed.
“I didn’t even ask the question,” Taylor said regarding the specifics of the compensatory formula. “It doesn’t really matter to me. It probably took three minutes of my day yesterday away from watching tape. Got a lot of faith in how [the front office] operates and we’ll just move forward with it.”
During Philadelphia’s recent 19-11 loss to the New York Giants, Ebiketie played 37% of the team’s defensive snaps.
The Bengals enter Week 10 with a 6-2 record. The team is currently in sole possession of first place in the AFC North and is preparing to host the 6-2 Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Taylor expressed confidence in the team’s trajectory as they look to extend a four-game winning streak.
“Certainly have a ton of confidence in our front office and how they do things,” Taylor said. “They’ve given us the players that have allowed us to be 6-2 right now and playing at such a high level. We’ll put that behind us and move forward and just get excited for this game on Sunday, and our locker room is in a great place right now.”
Earlier coverage: Failed Arnold Ebiketie Trade Explained by Zac Taylor
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