Bengals Offseason Addition Named Among Top-Three Largest Impacts Entering 2026 Season

The folks at FOX Sports broke down the top impact potential for 15 new faces playing elsewhere in the NFL this fall. New Bengals game-wrecker Dexter Lawrence II landed at No. 3 most impactful.

The 28-year-old is all business so far in Cincinnati as he tries to keep destroying interior opposing offensive lines after the Bengals gave up the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for him.

"Lawrence, the centerpiece of the Bengals’ defensive makeover this offseason, will make a significant impact on Cincinnati’s run defense, which ranked dead last in 2025 (147.1 rushing yards allowed/game). The Bengals gave up the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft for the three-time Pro Bowler," Ben Arthur wrote.

Impact Star

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) unwraps his fingers during practice on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The former New York Giant and Clemson Tiger has had plenty of mentors in his life. Now, he's ready to be one himself for what's largely a pretty young defensive line outside of him, T.J. Slaton, and B.J. Hill.

"Good, I mean, it's part of my role to allow people to understand my knowledge of the game, and in growing that sense," Lawrence said at his locker last week about helping the young guys. "So it just happens naturally, type of thing. I'm just excited to keep growing with them, and learning ... I'm embracing it, and I enjoy it. It's just about winning and doing what you can to win and do what you can to help everybody else around you be successful."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor knows he's going to be a foundational piece of what they do defensively this fall.

Lawrence has never posted fewer than 29 quarterback pressures in his seven NFL seasons (70 combined the past two seasons).

"He's a foundational part of any defense he's going to be a part of; he's a foundational part of this team," Taylor said this month. "I think when our team sees, 'oh man, the Bengals are willing to go to do that for us, now we gotta live up to our side of it, particularly on offense, we got to go score some points and let these guys tee off with a lead. So adding a guy like Dexter, adding a guy like Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook, Boye Mafe, a lot of the guys we've added on that defensive side of the ball have given us a lot of energy and excitement."

Check out the full list of impact player rankings from FOX Sports here.

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