The Philadelphia Eagles pulled another move right before the NFL trade deadline, sending rotational edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie to the Cincinnati Bengals. What did Philly get back? A 2027 sixth-round pick, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. This ain’t their last move, either, because Howie Roseman and the Eagles are far from done making deals.
Ebiketie’s Role and Why He Became Expendable
Ebiketie signed a one-year contract back in March, with $4.3 million guaranteed, so he wasn’t some long-term project for Philly. This season, he played 48% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps, which is pretty significant for a rotational guy. But here’s the kicker, despite that snap count, he logged zero sacks, zero tackles for loss, and only two quarterback hits. Not exactly lighting up the stat sheet, right? The only reason he was even getting that much playing time was because of injuries to Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith. Now that trio is “seemingly getting healthier,” Ebiketie became expendable. He was probably not coming back after the 2026 season anyway, so getting anything for him was a smart play.
The Eagles Are Stockpiling Draft Picks For 2027
Honestly, a Day 3 pick for Ebiketie isn’t “thrilling,” as the insiders put it, but getting anything of value for a player who was on his way out and not producing much is a win. It’s definitely better than nothing, and it adds to an already wild collection of draft picks the Eagles are stacking up for 2027. We’re talking:
- Their own 1st-rounder
- Another 1st-rounder from the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Their own 2nd-rounder
- A projected compensatory 3rd-rounder
- Their own 4th-rounder
- Two 5th-rounders, one from the Baltimore Ravens and one from the New England Patriots, plus their own
- And now, this 6th-rounder from the Cincinnati Bengals
- Plus a 7th-rounder from the Minnesota Vikings
That’s a serious haul already, and the word is, Roseman is probably not done adding to this absolute stockpile. They’re clearly thinking long game here.
What’s Next For Philly?
With Ebiketie off to Cincinnati, that opens up a roster spot. So, keep an eye out for the Eagles to potentially bring up rookie Keyshawn James-Newby or Mason Reiger from their practice squad. Given how aggressive Roseman has been before the deadline, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last move we see from Philly as they keep wheeling and dealing. They’re building something, and it looks like a lot of that building is happening through the draft.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
Leave a Reply