Dexter Lawrence II Has One Goal in Mind For Next Season

It hasn’t even been 24 hours since the Cincinnati Bengals made one of the biggest moves in franchise history, trading for Dexter Lawrence II from the New York Giants for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Bengals then extended Lawrence’s contract through the 2028 season, adding one year to his original contract for $28 million.

In his seven years with the New York Giants, Lawrence quickly became one of the league’s most dominant players, totaling 340 tackles, 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and one interception.

Lawrence Will Go A Long Way In Fixing The Bengals’ Defense

The Cincinnati Bengals just acquired a game-changing star that could lead the Bengals to the promised land — 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

Last season, the AFC North side finished with one of the NFL's worst total defenses, allowing a paltry 382.1 yards per game. A far cry from the Bengals teams that allowed 351.9 and 337.7 over the two-year stretch that saw Zac Taylor’s side make the Super Bowl and AFC Championship.

Lawrence met with “Bengals Booth Podcast” host Dan Hoard for an exclusive interview, where bringing the Bengals back to the top was a linchpin of the conversation.

"People are gonna say [there is] pressure [to get back to the Super Bowl], but I embrace it. I bring it in. It doesn't affect me,” quoted Lawrence.

Since being drafted by the Giants in 2019, Lawrence has been selected to three Pro Bowls, two AP All-Pro Second Teams, and was selected as the league’s 17th-best player heading into the last season.

“I just know who I am, and I'm going to stay true to that, and I'm gonna be the guy to help this defense go to the next step,” said the former Clemson Tiger.

Lawrence finished last season with a 75.6 overall PFF grade, which ranked ninth among all defensive tackles in the league. Lawrence’s 84.5 pass-rushing grade placed him 7th, which will be a boon for a passing defense that gave up 235.1 passing yards per game, ranking 7th-worst in the NFL last season.

"My first thought was how I'm going to help the young linebackers. I know me being on the field with my presence is going to make a lot of people be better," Lawrence said to Hoard.

In Lawrence’s two playoff games, the tackle notched a phenomenal 12 tackles and four quarterback hits. When the Giants took down the Minnesota Vikings in the early 2023 Wild Card matchup. Lawrence recorded eight pressures, setting a single-game postseason record for a defensive tackle.

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