Dexter Lawrence Eager To 'Grow' Bengals Defense Into Great Unit Again

New Bengals star defender Dexter Lawrence has all the motivation in the world to get back to the All-Pro level he's reached in the 2020s. The fresh highest-paid defender on the Bengals roster signed a one-year, $28 million extension on Sunday and met with the media to discuss his whirlwind weekend.

Cincinnati traded the 10th pick in Thursday's draft for Lawrence, as he becomes the new marquee trench defender for the team after Trey Hendrickson's exit to Baltimore.

The 28-year-old can't wait to get to work with his new teammates and pursue the franchise's first Super Bowl after seven seasons with the Giants.

Hungry To Get Started

Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Lawrence has fought through an elbow injury in recent seasons that he is ready to bounce back from this fall.

"Everything is about perspective," Lawrence said about getting back to an All-Pro level he reached in 2022 and 2023. "It's a process every day ... I know what it takes to get to that level. And you go through your process, like even when you on the field, you go through a process. You don't grow weary of anything. And you might not be successful this day, but the next day you learn from it, and you grow from there.

"So I think I needed last season, you know, it became a perspective for me. I needed that season to get to where I am now."

Lawrence noted some ways he can help arguably the worst defense in the NFL get much better. Cincinnati's completely reshaped that unit after ranking last in the NFL in yards per play last season (6.1 YPP allowed).

Lawrence joins new star faces like Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Jonathan Allen in the starting group. The veteran additions should help Cincinnati's young linebackers and secondary hit their highest 2026 ceiling possible.

"I can't wait to talk and get real with them. I want to make their job easy. I know it's a learning process in this league, so my job is to make their job easy and allow them to flow and allow them to be comfortable. Just get the call in and hit the gap," Lawrence said about helping the linebackers.

Lawrence posted less than one sack last year, but still tallied 34 quarterback pressures as one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL.

If he can tap back into those 2023 (65 pressures) and 2022 (63 pressures) totals, then Cincinnati will be primed to at least field a top-16 defense and maybe even top 10 this fall.

"You got to be uncomfortable to get comfortable," Lawrence said about this new experience. "When this opportunity came, I jumped at it because I knew I was going to be uncomfortable. I learned a lot of new names, move to a new city, and bring my family and my dogs and find that place. So I knew it's going to be a little uncomfortable. That's the process, though. And I think I handled it well, and I handle those things well. So I was just excited to be here, especially with my dog, B.J. (Hill), to play with him. Get another opportunity to play with him. And take this thing to another level."

All in all, the big fella is ready to attack a new role, in a new home where he feels he can meet all his individual and team goals.

"I embrace pressure," Lawrence said about the added pressure of his arrival in Cincinnati. "I've been having pressure all my life, since high school. I've always been that guy in the middle who wrecks the game. You know, I want to continue that. I'm going to continue that. And for them to have that trust in me to give up the 10th pick like that. It means a lot. And I carry that well."

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