Zac Taylor Reveals Uncomfortable Message Duke Tobin Asked Him to Deliver After Bengals Trade Debacle

The Cincinnati Bengals did not make de facto general manager Duke Tobin available following Tuesday’s trade fiasco and instead had head coach Zac Taylor address it during his Wednesday news conference.

Despite admitting it made him uncomfortable, Taylor addressed the subject without specifically being asked about it, responding to a question about the team’s depth at defensive end.

“Obviously we tried something yesterday, and Duke was very explicit with me when he came and spoke to me of how he wanted this portrayed,” Taylor said. “I’m not comfortable doing it, but I’m going to do what he asked.

“We did make an effort to kind of put some depth in there in place of Cashius (Howell),” Taylor continued. “As we got into it, obviously it was going to be a little more costly than we initially anticipated. So he's really apologetic about it.”

Bengals' Taylor Says Team in Good Spot Despite Tobin's Failed Trade

Cincinnati Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin, right, observes minicamp, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With rookie second-round pick Cashius Howell on Injured Reserve due to wrist surgery, the Bengals agreed to trade a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.

But because the Eagles acquired Ebiketie in free agency this past offseason, he would have counted against the Bengals in the compensatory pick formula, negating the third-round pick they are due to receive for losing Trey Hendrickson.

So the trade essentially would have been Ebiketie for a third and a sixth.

The Bengals backed out of the trade after compensatory pick expert Nick Korte posted on X that the team would lose their third-round pick as well.

Taylor said Tobin didn’t say when he became aware of the added cost, and Taylor didn’t ask, but it’s clear the front office was totally unaware until after Korte’s post. Otherwise, why even venture into trade talks for a player who would affect the comp pick formula.

“I certainly have a ton of confidence in our front office and how they do things, and they've given us the players that have allowed us to be 6-2 right now and playing at such a high level,” Taylor said.

“So we'll put that behind us and move forward,” he added. “Our locker room is in a great place right now.”

Taylor said Howell is still considered week to week following the wrist surgery after suffering the injury in Week 8 against Tennessee.

He said the injury won’t be season ending, but the timeline for Howell’s return is unclear.

The injury was the impetus for trying to acquire a depth piece such as Ebiketie, a 2022 second-round pick who has 16.5 career sacks in 76 games.

Taylor said he doesn’t expect the attempt to add Ebiketie to affect the other edge rushers who would have lost playing time after the acquisition.

“I would hope that everybody in our locker room wants us to be at our very best and trust that we're always doing things to make sure we're as good as possible,” Taylor said. “And we had an open roster spot, so it wasn't going to be addition and subtraction. It was just going to be (for) somebody that we've already put on IR.”

The botched trade could have an impact in Philadelphia, where Ebiketie remains, knowing the team tried to deal him.

The Eagles can’t be happy with how everything played out, and Taylor attempted to smooth over that relationship as well, saying that was another thing Tobin wanted him to convey rather than the director of player personnel addressing it himself.

“(Tobin) wants to make clear Philly was a great trade partner,” Taylor said. “It was on our end. And that's just the way things go.

“We're always looking at the waiver wire every single week. We're always looking for practice squad additions, subtractions,” Taylor continued. “The trade deadline is obviously the biggest thing that can impact your season.

“We’re in a great spot where we’re at with our roster, where we’re at with our health. Obviously it's not perfect with the health, but it's about as good as you can ask for getting through Week 8. All that’s behind us. We have a tremendous opportunity Sunday here at home, and our focus should be on that right now.”

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