Andrew Whitworth Hints Dexter Lawrence Trade is a Message From Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals needed to make a blockbuster move to bolster their defense this offseason. They added a few players in free agency, like Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Jonathan Allen, among others. But they needed to make one more big move.

On Saturday, they did just that by swinging a big trade for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence is going to be a huge personnel addition for the Bengals, but the addition means more than just adding a player to the field.

On a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Andrew Whitworth noted that the Bengals' front office hasn't been willing to make any big, win-now moves in the Joe Burrow era, but he believes this trade for Lawrence is a message to the roster that they're ready to win.

Adding Dexter Lawrence A Message From Bengals' Front Office

Oct 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"To me, that's what's been missing, in my opinion, in the Joe Burrow era is like, alright, you do have this unbelievable quarterback. You do have some really talented receivers. And you have been able to put up some great offensive numbers," Whitworth said. "But where are the big swings every offseason? I think sometimes you need to put the whole building on notice. We're all in. We're going to go try to win a Super Bowl, and that's the bottom line, and so I think, to me, this was their version of that.

"It's more about the message. Do I think Dexter Lawrence is a good piece to them? Hell yeah, I do, but I also love the message. We're sending the whole team a message, hey, we got a window, we're about to go try to take that window right now."

The entire city is buzzing after this move. While adding the player that Lawrence is on the field is going to be a huge addition for the Bengals, the fact that this move indicates to everybody that they're trying to win right now might be more impactful.

The fans tend to believe the front office isn't bought in all the time.

If the fans so clearly believe this to be the case, that same feeling could be in the Bengals locker room. Making a move like this has changed that narrative in a big way. The Bengals aren't trying to float anymore. They're trying to win a Super Bowl, and they made the right move to push them in that direction.

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