Update: Bengals Reportedly Back Out of Arnold Ebiketie Trade With Eagles

The Cincinnati Bengals entered Tuesday as expected buyers at the NFL trade deadline. Sunday’s 34-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons moved Cincinnati to 6-2 and extended its winning streak to four games, giving the club momentum before this transaction window.

Following the Week 9 schedule, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati both own 6-2 records, tied atop the AFC North. Cleveland follows at 5-4, while Baltimore stands at 4-5.

Before Tuesday’s reported move, the club listed Cedric Johnson, Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart as active defensive ends. Isaiah Foskey and Garmon Randolph were on the practice squad, while Cashius Howell was on reserve/injured.

Cincinnati placed Howell on reserve/injured with a wrist injury on November 3, one week before the deadline. That left the Bengals with four active players listed at defensive end before reportedly adding to that group hours before the deadline.

Selected by Atlanta out of Penn State in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Arnold Ebiketie was the No. 38 overall pick. Philadelphia agreed to a one-year contract with Ebiketie on March 13. The deal included $4.3 million fully guaranteed, carried a $1.9 million cap charge for 2026 and was set to void on February 15, 2027.

Early Tuesday, NFL Network lead insider Ian Rapoport has reported that the Philadelphia Eagles are trading Ebiketie to the Bengals. The Eagles were set to receive the Bengals’ 2027 sixth-round draft pick. No Cincinnati player was included in the returning package.

However, now thing shave changed. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting Cincinnati is expected to back out of the deal.

Through Philadelphia’s November 8 loss to the New York Giants, Ebiketie has played in nine games without a start in 2026. He has recorded 25 combined tackles, including 11 solo stops and 14 assists, but has not registered a sack.

Appearing in 76 career regular-season games, Ebiketie had made 12 starts with 16.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He posted six sacks for Atlanta in 2023 and another six in 2024.

While Ebiketie’s 2026 production hasn’t been top of the line for available defensive players on the trade market, his was projected to be a key piece for the Bengals if the trade went through, but they will now have to look elsewhere if the plan is still to add at that spot.

Cincinnati hosts Pittsburgh on Sunday, November 15, at 8:20 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in a matchup NBC will broadcast. Both teams enter the game at 6-2, making it one of the more exciting matchups of the season thus far.