The Philadelphia Eagles are sending edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie to the Cincinnati Bengals in return for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick. NFL insider Ian Rapoport broke the news on Tuesday through a post on X.
“Sources: The #Eagles aren’t done, trading edge Arnold Ebiketie to the #Bengals in exchange for 2027 6th round pick,” Rapoport tweeted.
Arnold Ebiketie trade raises questions over Shemar Stewart’s future
The move gives Cincinnati additional depth along its defensive front while potentially raising questions about the future of former first-round selection Shemar Stewart. The defensive end was left inactive two weeks ago as he continued to struggle for playing time and establish himself within the rotation.
Given his limited opportunities, Cincinnati could consider moving on from Stewart through a trade.
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Stewart failed to record a sack during his rookie campaign, while Cincinnati has since strengthened its pass-rushing unit by signing Boye Mafe in free agency and selecting Cashius Howell in the second round of the draft.
An injury during training camp further complicated the 23-year-old defensive end’s position.
Stewart faces crowded path to playing time
The arrivals of Mafe and Howell quickly affected the team’s defensive depth chart, with Mafe joining Myles Murphy as a starting edge rusher and Howell taking on the role of the third option.
Cedric Johnson’s contribution on special teams has also helped secure his place as the fourth edge rusher, leaving Stewart without a clearly defined role in the rotation.
With Howell currently unavailable, Ebiketie is expected to provide another option as Cincinnati’s third edge rusher.
However, once Howell returns, he could move into the fourth spot, while Johnson is likely to remain active because of his special teams contributions. That could leave Stewart further down the pecking order, regardless of Howell’s availability.
Trade deadline looms over Stewart’s future
Other teams may still be willing to take a chance on the former first-round pick, who attracted considerable attention during the NFL Draft last year.
A franchise interested in his potential could view a trade as an opportunity to acquire a young defensive prospect, while the Bengals could potentially receive draft capital to use in a subsequent roster move.
With the trade deadline set for 4 p.m. today, the next few hours should provide clarity on how the situation develops.
Ebiketie brings experience despite quiet season
While Ebiketie may not be a high-profile addition, the former second-round selection brings considerable NFL experience. The 27-year-old has logged 300 defensive snaps this season, including 25 in last week’s game, and has accumulated 2,128 snaps over his professional career.
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Across five NFL seasons, Ebiketie has recorded 16.5 sacks. His best single-season tally came in 2024, when he registered six sacks. He also finished with two sacks for the Atlanta Falcons last season. However, despite receiving 300 snaps this year, he has yet to record a sack.