NFL Network: Bengals call off trade for Eagles' Arnold Ebiketie over compensatory pick formula

There is a first time for everything in the NFL.

An agreed-upon trade between the Bengals and Eagles that would have sent pass rusher Arnold Ebiketie to Cincy was called off by the Bengals due to the team's compensatory picks formula, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday. 

The trade was scuttled, it seems, by a post on X from Over the Cap's compensatory picks guru Nick Korte.

Multiple outlets reported that the Bengals were set to acquire Ebiketie from the Eagles for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Analysis was written. Grades were given. The world was ready to move on to the next deal ahead of today's 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Then Korte fired off this post:

Essentially, by acquiring Ebiketie, the Bengals would have negated a compensatory third-round pick in 2027 they were in line to earn from losing Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. Since Ebiketie was a compensatory formula signing for the Eagles, trading that contract would cancel out a pick for the acquiring team.

The math on the trade went from the Bengals sending a sixth-round pick for a backup edge rusher to losing a sixth- and a third-round pick. That would have been disastrous for Cincinnati.

Not long after Korte’s post, which had many Bengals fans freaking out, Cincinnati reportedly backed out on the trade.

NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported that the Eagles weren't thrilled after the trade was called off, but because it was agreed to and not official, there is nothing Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman can do about it.

And that is how a contract analyst helped save the Bengals a third-round draft pick. They should thank Korte by hiring him. Someone should.