As the Cleveland Browns try to get back on track and compete in what has become a very competitive AFC North, they need to hope the Cincinnati Bengals do their best Sideshow Bob impression and step on a few rakes near the NFL trade deadline.
Consider that box checked after Cincy's front office had to nullify one of their big moves.
The Bengals kicked off the final day of the NFL trade deadline by making a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, sending a sixth-round pick Howie Roseman's way in order to acquire former Atlanta Falcons second-round selection and backup pass rusher Arnold Ebiketie.
Not even an hour later, the proposed trade has been nullified.
The Bengals seemingly had no idea that if they acquired Ebiketie, it would alter their NFL Draft compensatory pick calculus so much that they would lose a third-round choice they are in line to receive after Trey Hendrickson joined the Baltimore Ravens.
Self-inflicted mistakes like this are why Cincinnati has been stuck in the mud for so long.
Browns fans can laugh at Bengals for canceling planned Arnold Ebiketie trade
Essentially, compensatory picks are handed out when the value of free agents lost exceeds that which a team signs in a given year. As such, the Bengals would have received a third-rounder after losing Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai, and Noah Fant while adding Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Ebiketie.
Per Nick Korte, Ebiketie (who didn't even have a sack this season) would have factored into the comp pick formula. The Bengals would have essentially matched what they lost in the eyes of the formula, and the third-rounder would disappear. That sounds like complicated legal mumbo-jumbo, but it's the kind of thing an NFL general manager should know like the back of their hand.
What is funnier for Browns fans? Would it be Duke Tobin being completely unaware of this process, or knowing about it and still choosing to send this trade through?
The Bengals' failed trade may remind many of the Cleveland Browns' incompetence
The Browns are still an inferior roster when compared to the Bengals, especially at quarterback, but Andrew Berry has at least been heralded this season for some savvy trades and what could be a franchise-changing 2026 NFL Draft class. More importantly, their GM doesn't find out about poor trades due to social media.
Duke Tobin and the Bengals have been blessed with Joe Burrow being able to paper over cracks that include an inability to build a robust defense (prior to this season) and some major whiffs on the offensive line. Had Berry and the Browns made this move, they would have been the laughingstock of the NFL world.
Considering how the Browns' horrible, indefensible Deshaun Watson trade ruined all their status in a way they are still trying to dig themselves out from under, Cincinnati falling a few rungs down thanks to good, old-fashioned incompetence is refreshing.
Even as the Browns' contention chances start to fade away, there is some schadenfreude to be had from multiple high-ranking executives from perhaps their biggest rival making such a colossal error that they needed an informed writer to tell them what a mistake they've made.
Even among the wins, that old-school Bengals incompetence shines through.
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