Trey Hendrickson or Dexter Lawrence? Andrew Whitworth Supports Bengals Decision

The Cincinnati Bengals made a blockbuster move to go out and land a trade for former New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

Lawrence is going to come into Cincinnati and provide an immediate impact for the Bengals along their defensive line. The Bengals needed somebody to stop the run after they ranked dead last in run defense last year. They also needed somebody to rush the passer after losing two starting edge rushers in free agency. With Lawrence, they get the best of both worlds.

On a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Bengals legend Andrew Whitworth compared the pass-rush impact of Trey Hendrickson to the fact that Lawrence can rush the passer and stop the run. It seems clear which one Whitworth prefers.

Why Bengals Chose Dexter Lawrence After Losing Trey Hendrickson

Newly signed Cincinnati Bengals defense tackle Dexter Lawrence speaks in a press conference for the first time since joining the team at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Monday, April 20, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Because here's the reality of Trey Hendrickson. He's a hell of a player. But here's the truth. He is ranked at the top of the group when it comes to sacks and pressures on the quarterback, no doubt. But let's go look where he's ranked in the run game in all those years as well," Whitworth said. "And it ain't up at the top. So my point is that you're talking about a guy who, yeah, he put up a lot of numbers. I played against a guy like that I would compare him to in Arizona in Chandler Jones.

"A lot of statistical things. He's going to create a lot of sacks. He's going to get some pressures on the quarterback. But you know what else you can do? You can run the football right at him all the time, anytime you want. So when you're dictating the terms on defense, that's the reality. And so to me, I think when you talk about a guy like Dexter Lawrence, you're talking about all three downs, how can we affect it?"

The fact that Hendrickson is a rough run defender wasn't a secret. There were plenty of offenses that seemed to target him in the running game. But he was such a ferocious pass rusher to help make up for it.

Still, Whitworth makes a great point. Lawrence is one of the most impactful nose tackles of this generation. He can plug the middle of the field against the run. He's also able to push double teams into the quarterback's lap as a pass rusher. While the sack numbers weren't there, Lawrence was very impactful last season. The Bengals seemingly upgraded their defensive line, at least against the run, with this move.

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