Giants Trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals: NY Lands No. 10 Pick in Pre-Draft Shocker

After weeks of tension, Joe Schoen sends the unhappy defender to the Bengals in a blockbuster deal, giving Big Blue two top-10 picks in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

The New York Giants have granted defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence's wish to be traded. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants tried repeatedly to resolve their differences with disgruntled defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. In the end, the two sides apparently couldn’t reach an agreement for Lawrence to continue with the NFL team that drafted him in the first round of the 2019 draft.

Draft week blockbuster: The Giants are trading three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals in a deal that will include the 10th overall pick going to New York, per ESPN sources.

The Giants now head into Thursday night with the 5th and 10th overall picks. pic.twitter.com/cV6Qobp6Aq

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 19, 2026

Lawrence has been traded by the Giants to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the tenth overall pick in this year’s draft.

The trade gives New York, which doesn’t have a third-round pick, an extra selection in the top 100 and completely changes the complexion of what the Giants will be able to do to ensure head coach John Harbaugh has what he needs to get the team competitive.

Lawrence is coming off a down year due to an elbow injury. He had career lows in sacks and tackles. He has two years remaining on the four-year deal he signed with the Giants in May 2024.

He had been skipping the offseason program in protest of his deal, which at $22.5 million APY made him the 12th-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the league.

Lawrence reportedly was looking for a raise that would have put him among the top three, if not at the top, and at least certainly in line with Milton Williams and Jordan Davis, tied for second-highest APY among defensive linemen and two players who don’t have the Pro Bowls or All-Pro nods that Lawrence has to his name.

How This Trade Will Affect the Giants' Defense

The New York Giants have a big hole in the middle of their defense after sending defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II to the Bengals. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Although the Giants are getting another pick in the Top 10, which now gives them three picks in the top 100, they’ve created a giant-sized hole in the middle of the defense. 

Despite his “down” season last year, there was still a noticeable difference when Lawrence played in all 17 games, despite an ailing elbow.

When Lawrence was on the field, opponents averaged 5.1 yards per rush, compared to 5.7 yards when he was off.

Opponents' rushing success rate was 52.5% with Lawrence present, rising to 57.5% without him. They also gained 2.43 rushing yards before contact when he was on the bench, versus 1.68 when he played.

In the pass rush, the Giants managed 154 pressures with Lawrence on the field and 64 with him on the sideline.

The Giants will also likely sign a veteran defensive lineman–D.J. Reader, Austin Johnson or Shelby Harris have all paid visits to East Rutherford in recent weeks– to bolster the veteran depth at nose tackle.

With the trade, the Giants will save $13 million in cap space ad eat $13.9 million in dead money. New York now has $18.437 million in cap space, more than enough to complete the roster, with money to spare.

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