Bengals Apologize for Trade Fiasco with Eagles
Cincinnati Bengals apologize for failed trade with Eagles over draft pick loss.
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Zac Taylor, head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, expressed regret over the failed trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, which fell through before the NFL trade deadline. During a media session on Wednesday, Taylor spoke on behalf of general manager Duke Tobin, explaining the reasons behind the trade collapse.
“Duke was very explicit with me when he came and spoke to me about how he wanted this portrayed,” Taylor began. “I’m not comfortable doing it, but I’m going to do what he asked.” Taylor emphasized that the Bengals made an effort to add depth in place of Cashius Howell, but the deal became more costly than expected. He reiterated that the issue was on their end, not the Eagles, and that Philadelphia was a great trade partner.
Initially, it was reported that Cincinnati and Philadelphia had reached an agreement on a trade, with the Eagles receiving a 2027 sixth-round pick in return. However, as the deal progressed, it became clear that the Bengals would forfeit a 2027 third-round compensatory draft selection if the trade went through. This led to the Bengals withdrawing from the deal.
#Bengals HC Zac Taylor, speaking for GM Duke Tobin, says he’s very apologetic about how the Arnold Ebiketie trade fell apart. “Philly was a great trade partner. It was on our end.” https://t.co/kHjzf7UWE6
The loss of the draft pick was due to the Bengals signing fewer qualifying free agents, particularly the departure of ex-edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Nick Korte of OverTheCap reported that the loss of the pick was between the original trade report and the follow-up that the deal wouldn’t be finalized. Taylor stated that the specifics weren’t revealed when he spoke to Tobin on Tuesday.
“I didn’t even ask the question,” said Taylor. “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.” The Bengals are now focusing on moving forward and addressing the trade fallout.
Source: Daily Caller
