Giants Trading Pro Bowl DT Dexter Lawrence II to Bengals Ahead of NFL Draft

Dexter Lawrence II has officially forced his way out of New York.

After reportedly requesting a trade, the Giants are trading Lawrence to the Bengals for the No. 10 pick in next week’s draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal is currently pending a physical. Lawrence is slated to go to Cincinnati on Sunday for a physical. If he passes, the deal will go through.

More: Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order: Full List of Picks in All Seven Rounds

Lawrence’s request for a trade reportedly came after little progress had been made between him and the Giants on a contract extension. Despite being one of the best defensive tackles in the league, Lawrence ranks outside of the 10 highest-paid players at the position.

Earlier this month, new Giants head coach John Harbaugh told reporters as the team’s offseason program began, “We want Dexter here, I believe Dexter wants to be here.” During that same press conference while speaking about Kayvon Thibodeaux, Harbaugh notably also said, “Everybody’s tradable.”

This is an uncharacteristic move for the Bengals, who tend to be conservative as an organization. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Giants and Bengals had been discussing a trade for Lawrence for two weeks. The Bengals were looking to acquire an impactful defensive player with the No. 10 pick, which they have done by acquiring a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro.

With Lawrence heading to Cincinnati, here’s a closer look at what the deal means for both teams:

Giants:

The Giants now have two top-10 picks, No. 5 and No. 10, after agreeing to trade Lawrence. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, many people around the league did not believe Lawrence would fetch a top-10 pick as a possible return. The Bengals were willing to give up their No. 10 pick, however, and the offer was clearly too good for the Giants to pass up.

New York now has a massive hole at defensive tackle, but also has two premium picks to add talent. Many don’t believe this draft has many blue chip prospects, but the Giants are in position to land two of the best players as they pick twice in the top-10. They also get a great return for a player that clearly wasn’t happy being in New York anymore. Ian O’Connor of The Athletic noted Harbaugh doesn’t want players on the team that don’t want to be Giants, and as such, they’re moving away from Lawrence.

Bengals:

The notoriously conservative Bengals have been surprisingly proactive this offseason as they look to improve a dismal defense that ranked 31st in yards allowed per game and last in rushing yards allowed per game. The Bengals signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, edge rusher Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency, and now are executing a trade for one of the league’s premier defensive tackles.

The Bengals have not made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, a travesty with Joe Burrow at quarterback. While Burrow’s injuries have contributed to the three-year drought, the defense has been the primary culprit over the past two seasons. As much as the Bengals tend to play things safe or not make many huge moves, they are clearly making it a priority to keep Burrow happy and contend while they have him in his prime.

Though some feel the trade for Lawrence came at too high of a price, the deal does make sense if Cincinnati felt that it wouldn’t be able to land the caliber of player they’re seeking at No. 10. This is particularly the case for the defensive side of the ball, as top prospects Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr., Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Mansoor Delane could all realistically be off the board by the time it was the Bengals’ turn to pick. Instead, the Bengals opt for a proven player that will help them win now.

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