Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen Have Had Bigger Impact Than Bengals Fans Realize

The Bengals seem to have struck gold with a few of their offseason additions.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (93) gets a handle on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) as he scrambles in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cincinnati Bengals needed to make some big changes on the defensive side of the football if they wanted any real chance to compete for an AFC North division title and eventually a Super Bowl. Their defense has held them back tremendously for the last few years, so they dove into every avenue of acquiring players this offseason in an attempt to turn it around.

They added some stars across the defensive line, and it's already seeming to pay off. Dexter Lawrence was the big addition for the Bengals, as he was added in a blockbuster trade ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft that sent the No. 10 pick in the draft to the New York Giants in exchange for Lawrence. The Bengals added Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Jonathan Allen, among others, in free agency.

While all of the additions have been exciting for the Bengals, it's been the additions of Lawrence and Allen in the middle of the defensive line that have made the biggest difference.

Bengals Rank Near the Top of the League in Stuff Rate

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) drives into Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) as he throws in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. The Bengals improved to 2-0 on the season with a 20-6 win on the road. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bengals' run defense has been one of the worst units in the league for years. Last year, they had the worst run defense in the league, and they ranked dead last in stuff rate. Stuff rate is the rate at which the Bengals allow zero yards or register a tackle for loss on a run play. This season, after the additions of Lawrence and Allen, the Bengals rank second in the league in stuff rate at 32.3 percent. This is a direct result of adding Lawrence and Allen to their roster.

Allen exploded on the scene in Week 2 as he recorded a sack and three tackles for loss in the Bengals' win over the Houston Texans. Lawrence has made a tremendous impact on the Bengals' defense, as he continues to blow up plays and wreck opposing offenses.

These two could quickly form one of the better interior defensive line duos in the league. Lawrence has an argument as the best interior defensive lineman in the league, while Allen still has plenty of juice left in the tank. This duo has been better than many expected, and it's even better than many fans realize.

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