Nick Korte, contributor to NFL salary cap website Over The Cap and self-described Compensatory Picks guy on social media, helped the Cincinnati Bengals save a 2027 third-round draft pick.
In a bizarre case of repeat heroics, this is actually the second time Korte has assisted the Bengals after a similar incident in 2024.
On Wednesday's NFL trade deadline, Ian Rapoport tweeted that the Philadelphia Eagles were trading edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie to Cincinnati in exchange for a 2027 6th-round pick.
The Bengals, who are fighting to win the AFC North, have been fantastic offensively this season; however, a recent injury to rookie pass rusher Cashius Howell left them scrambling to find cover in the final hours of the trade deadline.
By trading for Ebiketie, the Bengals would lose a compensatory third-round pick that they earned from trading Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens this offseason.
Korte, who first tweeted about the Bengals losing their compensatory pick if the trade for Ebiketie got finalised, is believed to be the reason Cincinnati eventually backed out of the trade hours later.
By trading for Ebiketie, Korte tweeted, the Bengals would lose a valuable compensatory third-round pick that they earned from losing star free agent Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens this offseason.
Arnold Ebiketie was signed as a compensatory free agent by the Eagles.
The Bengals lost 3 CFAs and signed 2 (Cordell Volson not qualifying), thus while they gain a 2027 6th rounder, they lose a 2027 3rd round comp pick that was via Trey Hendrickson going to Baltimore. https://t.co/DxWAA8L0KN
— Nick Korte (@nickkorte) November 10, 2026
News from NFL reporters that the Bengals were backing out of the trade with the Eagles came just an hour after Korte's tweet, highlighting how his vital knowledge of compensatory picks is perhaps better than the Bengals' front office themselves.
A similar scenario in March 2024 saw Korte flag the NFL for shortchanging Cincinnati a third-round compensatory pick for Jessie Bates III, which the NFL hilariously had to correct days later.
Fans and NFL insiders such as ESPN's Field Yates have joked that the Bengals should hire Korte, after his public analysis have now helped the franchise on two separate occasions.
While Cincinnati will have to search internally for defensive cover for the remainder of the season, Nick Korte's well-timed and informed tweet has potentially set them up for a successful third-round draft pick in 2027.
And for an organisation trying to maximise a Super Bowl window around star quarterback Joe Burrow, dodging a self-inflicted mistake through Korte's assistance may be the best move they make all season.
There may never be more eyes on a third-round pick than there will be on the Bengals in the 2027 NFL draft.
