The Cincinnati Bengals made a bold move Saturday night, trading the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants in exchange for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The deal, pending a physical, adds a proven interior pass rusher to a defense that ranked among the league's worst last season.
Lawrence, 28, had pushed for the trade because he wanted a new contract. He currently sits midway through a four-year, $90 million extension he signed in 2023, making Cincinnati's investment substantial on both ends of the negotiation.
The move marks a significant shift for the Bengals, who will lack a first-round pick for the first time since 1989. That year, they traded away the 27th pick to Atlanta for compensation that included later selections.
For the Giants, landing two top-10 picks gives them rare ammunition heading into their first draft under new coach John Harbaugh. New York now holds the fifth and 10th selections after finishing 4-13 last season. The franchise joins an exclusive group of 22 teams since 1967 that have held multiple top-10 picks, and becomes the fifth team to accomplish this feat in the last five years.
Lawrence produced a career-high nine sacks in 2024, though his performance dipped significantly the prior year with just a half-sack. He made the Pro Bowl in three consecutive seasons from 2022 through 2024 and earned second-team All-Pro honors twice during that stretch. The 6-foot-4, 340-pound lineman represents established talent in the middle of the defensive line.
Cincinnati's defensive unit desperately needed the upgrade. The Bengals finished 31st in yards allowed, 30th in points allowed, and 30th against the run last season. With Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins anchoring a potent offense, the organization recognized that defensive improvement was essential this offseason.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen had expressed optimism about keeping Lawrence just days earlier. "We'd like for Dexter to be here, and at some point we'll come to a resolution here, whatever that may be," Schoen said on Tuesday, noting that conversations with Lawrence's camp had been productive. The unexpected willingness to trade him suggests the opportunity to acquire two top-10 picks proved too valuable to resist.
The Giants have plenty of company in the two top-10 pick club. The Bears selected Caleb Williams first and Rome Odunze ninth in 2024. The Texans went with CJ Stroud second and Will Anderson Jr. third in 2023. The Jets grabbed Sauce Gardner fourth and Garrett Wilson 10th in 2022. New York itself did it in 2022 with Kayvon Thibodeaux at five and Evan Neal at seven.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Bengals are betting big that a defensive anchor like Lawrence can mask their systemic problems on that side of the ball. It's a gamble that requires everything else to break right."
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