New York Giants star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade earlier this month after his camp reached an impasse with the franchise regarding a new contract. The Cincinnati Bengals were quick to pounce, as they have agreed to trade the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for Lawrence, per NFL Media. Lawrence will receive the new contract he’s after in Cincinnati, while the Giants now hold two picks in the top 10 of the draft.
Lawrence, a two-time Second Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, is regarded as one of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL. However, he’s coming off arguably the worst season of his NFL career, recording 31 tackles and just half a sack in 17 games played. That was a reason the Giants did not want to give Lawrence a massive raise, per CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
The Bengals ranked 31st in total defense (380.9 total yards allowed per game), and No. 30 in scoring defense (28.9 points allowed per game). They allowed 27 points and 350 total yards over eight straight games, which had previously never been done in NFL history, according to CBS Sports Research. Cincinnati has drafted 62 defensive players from 2011-25. None have made a Pro Bowl. So, the Bengals attempted to revamp the defense in free agency this offseason, adding pass rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, and now, Lawrence.
Thanks to this trade, the Giants hold selections at No. 5 overall and No. 10 overall. They will have the opportunity to land two blue-chip players that will ensure the John Harbaugh era gets off to a hot start. Let’s attempt to grade this surprising deal:
Bengals: B
This move is pretty un-Bengals-like. This franchise is famous for waiting too long to pay star players, like defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Cincy watched him put up back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, and still didn’t want to commit to him. Now, they trade a top 10 pick for a defensive tackle coming off his worst NFL season, and start working on giving him a massive raise? Yes, Lawrence is a bit younger than Hendrickson at 28-years-old, but still, surprising.
While the compensation was unexpected, the Bengals were viewed as a natural landing spot for Lawrence. A contender with a tragic defense that needed to make a major move. We knew the Giants wanted a first-round pick for their star defensive tackle … but a top-10 pick? Wow.
As we noted, the Bengals’ 62 draft picks on defense since 2011 haven’t made a single Pro Bowl. It’s the longest active drought for an NFL team that hasn’t drafted a homegrown Pro Bowler on defense. The last defensive player the Bengals drafted that made a Pro Bowl for the franchise was Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap in 2010.
While this was a high price to pay, this year’s draft class is not considered especially strong. You’re not finding a Dexter Lawrence at No. 10 overall. Maybe we need to see the new contract before being able to accurately grade this deal. CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones speculated that Lawrence should receive a new AAV in the high-20s. Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs is currently the highest-paid interior defensive lineman at $31.75 million per year. Milton Williams of the New England Patriots and Jordan Davis of the Philadelphia Eagles are behind him at $26 million per year. Jeffery Simmons will be keeping an eye on this contract extension as well. The Tennessee Titans star was the best defensive tackle in the NFL this past season, and he has a chance to reset the market before September.
Giants: A
A star player wanted out, and the Giants were hesitant to pay him the raise he was after. The fact that they netted a first-round pick that comes in the top 10 for Lawrence is certainly a win for them. ESPN reports that the Giants wanted to get a deal done with Lawrence, but couldn’t turn down this offer from the Bengals. Defensive line definitely becomes more of a need in New York, as Roy Robertson-Harris, Sam Roberts, Darius Alexander, Marlon Tuipulotu and Elijah Chatman are the only defensive tackles/interior players currently on the roster.
The Giants are now the sixth team to own multiple first-round picks in this upcoming draft, but they are the only franchise to have two selections in the top 10. With this kind of capital, the Giants have plenty of avenues to consider. Do they take Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 5 overall, or maybe Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he falls there? Maybe New York takes Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate at No. 5, and then circles back with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 10. Then, there’s always the possibility of trading up or down with the extra pick. The Giants are all of a sudden one of the most intriguing storylines in the draft.
New York actually made two picks in the top 10 back in 2022, drafting pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 5 and then offensive lineman Evan Neal at No. 7. The following year, the Houston Texans drafted the eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year with back-to-back picks in the top three, taking quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and then pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3. The Chicago Bears also made two selections in the top 10 in 2024, drafting quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall and then wide receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9.
The Giants don’t automatically get better by parting ways with a talent like Lawrence, but this was a very strong offer from the Bengals that they could not decline.
