Bengals Almost Handed Cowboys NFL Draft Gift But Dexter Lawrence Trade Ruined It

Before the Dexter Lawrence trade, the Bengals were reportedly primed to make an unthinkable draft pick that would've been a huge help to the Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Before the Cincinnati Bengals acquired star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence in a blockbuster deal with the New York Giants, Cincy was primed to hand the Dallas Cowboys a gift in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Bengals were slated to pick at No. 10 in the draft, which was two spots ahead of the Cowboys. But Cincinnati decided to flip that pick for Lawrence in a deal that amounted to an overpay.

Granted, the Bengals need help all over the defense, especially on the interior of the defensive line, but Lawrence was also coming off a down season and there was no indication any team was willing to even come close to that offer.

As head-scratching as the trade was, the Bengals were reportedly about to make an even more mind-boggling decision with the selection they moved for Lawrence.

According to former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus, the Bengals were planning on selecting Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods with their top-10 pick, which would have been a legendarily bad reach based on the buzz surrounding Woods.

"Here's intel for you. They were going to reach on Peter Woods. They were gonna take Peter Woods at 10," Broaddus said on Thursday's episode of Trust the Tape.

That pick would have been the epitome of reaching just to address a need.

In case you're not familiar with Woods, he was once considered an elite prospect and a top-10 pick.

However, Woods' stock dipped after a poor 2025 season, and it really nosedived after he had a nightmare pre-draft process that included an injury and a lackluster showing in workouts.

In the span of a year, Woods went from a top-10 prospect, to someone who was garnering a second-round grade.

"The inconsistencies of Peter Woods (Clemson) throughout the season and during the predraft process have caused most teams I have spoken with to put an early-to-mid second-round mark on him," ESPN's Jordan Reid reported.

A missed opportunity for the Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

If true, this is an unfortunate bit of news for the Cowboys.

The Bengals were widely projected to take a defensive player with the No. 10 pick, and many of those projections included players the Cowboys also need. But nobody in their right mind — and, really, nobody at all — pegged Woods to Cincinnati.

The Bengals taking Woods would have moved some of the usual top-10 suspects who were still on the board closer to the Cowboys, giving them a better chance to stick and pick and still get one of the draft's premium defensive talents.

The Bengals were always expected to make a pick on defense,

Now, the Cowboys can only hope there's another team out there thinking about making a similar mistake that helps Dallas end up with a prospect they otherwise wouldn't have gotten without it.