NFL Mock Trade: Bengals Acquire Dexter Lawrence Without Trading Pick No.10

The Cincinnati Bengals have the means to strike a potential blockbuster trade for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. On Thursday, the odds of the Bengals pulling off a blockbuster deal may have skyrocketed after Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported that Lawrence wants out of New York.

"If Dexter Lawrence has his wish, he will not suit up for the Giants again," Schwartz wrote. "He wants out. His desire for a new contract from the only NFL team he has ever played for resulted in talks but nothing substantial from a financial standpoint. And now, he wants to turn the page and move on."

With that said, the Bengals would have to give up a haul to land Lawrence. The belief is that the Giants want a first-round pick, but the Bengals should be hesitant to part ways with the No. 10 pick.

Bengals Should Hold Onto Pick No. 10

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals general manager Duke Tobin speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bengals shouldn't trade the No. 10 pick in the draft for Lawrence. If anything, they should trade next year's first. Assuming they do, the team would be much better in 2027, which means that the draft pick would hold a lot less value than the No. 10 pick.

But there could be a way for the Bengals to land the star defensive tackle without giving up the No. 10 pick or next year's first-rounder. A lot of reports have indicated that many teams are hesitant to trade their first-round picks next season because the draft class is expected to be much better.

How could the Bengals pull off a trade?

Bengals Have Trade Assets

Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) scrambles away from New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

To acquire Lawrence without giving up the No. 10 pick would mean the Bengals would certainly have to give up the No. 41 pick. But that's fine as long as Lawrence is coming to Cincinnati to anchor the defensive line.

Here's a mock trade that might be able to get it done:

The idea is that the Giants would be asking for a second-rounder and a fifth-rounder for Lawrence if they can't get a first-round pick. To avoid giving up two picks this year, the Bengals could go with a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick, alongside defensive tackle TJ Slaton. The Giants would also send back a 2027 sixth-round pick to equal out some of the value.

The longer that this drama draws out, the better it is for the Bengals. The Bengals need this to be an ugly breakup between Lawrence and the Giants to drive the price as low as possible.

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