Bengals land Dexter Lawrence

Cincinnati sent the No. 10 pick in Thursday’s National Football League draft to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, then signed him through 2028. (bengals.com) The trade became official after Lawrence passed his physical on April 19, two days before the draft opens on April 23. The Bengals said Lawrence, 6-foot-4 and 342 pounds, is entering his eighth National Football League season after New York drafted him in the first round in 2019. (cincinnati.com) (bengals.com) Lawrence’s new deal is a one-year, $28 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season. NFL Network reported the extension Sunday, one day after the trade agreement surfaced. (nfl.com) (bengalswire.usatoday.com) For Cincinnati, the move redirects a top-10 draft asset into a veteran interior lineman with three Pro Bowl selections. For New York, it creates two top-10 picks — No. 5 and No. 10 — heading into Thursday night. (nfl.com) (giants.com) The deal followed a contract standoff in New York. ESPN reported Lawrence requested a trade on April 6 after the sides reached an impasse with two years left on his contract and no guaranteed money remaining. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Lawrence leaves the Giants as one of their longest-tenured players and one of the league’s most heavily double-teamed interior rushers. ESPN reported he drew a 72.7% double-team rate on pass rushes over the past three years. (espn.com) Cincinnati had been looking for more impact in the middle of its defensive front after finishing 9-8 in 2025 and missing the playoffs. The Bengals’ official announcement frames Lawrence as an immediate addition to that front rather than a developmental draft pick. (pro-football-reference.com) (bengals.com) The Giants made the opposite bet: younger talent and draft control over a proven veteran. By Thursday night, New York will be on the clock twice in the top 10, and Cincinnati will have already spent that pick on a player expected to start right away. (giants.com) (nfl.com)