Cheap help off the edge
Deadline day, and Cincinnati moved early. The Bengals have pulled Arnold Ebiketie out of Philadelphia, according to multiple reports, and the bill is small. NFL Network says the Eagles get a 2027 sixth-round pick back.
That is not much for a 27-year-old who has spent the year as part of the Eagles’ rotation. Ebiketie has suited up nine times for Philadelphia without a start, but he has been on the field for close to half of the defensive snaps. Twenty-five tackles in that role. Not flashy. Useful.
The longer résumé is better. Atlanta took him in the second round out of Penn State in 2022, and across 76 games (12 starts) with the Falcons and Eagles he has piled up 16.5 sacks, 43 quarterback hits, 154 tackles and four forced fumbles.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Two teams, two directions
Cincinnati is buying. The Bengals sit at 6-2, have won four straight and share top spot in the AFC North with Pittsburgh. They have not reached the playoffs since 2022, and a rotational edge rusher for a late-round pick is the kind of low-risk bet a contender makes in November.
Philadelphia is going the other way, and fast. Seven losses in a row have left the Eagles at 2-7. On Monday they sent defensive tackle Jordan Davis to Jacksonville. Now Ebiketie is gone too. The front office holds 10 selections across the first two rounds of the next three drafts, which tells you where the focus has shifted.
For the Bengals the question is simple: can a part-time pass rusher add a few more pressures down the stretch? At this price, even a handful would make the trade look smart.
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