The New York Giants traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 pick in next week’s draft, according to a league source.
Why they made the move
Lawrence, 28, is halfway through his four-year, $90 million contract, but he wanted a new deal and requested a trade earlier this month when negotiations reached an impasse. There’s no guaranteed money remaining on Lawrence’s contract, and he’s got a chance to increase his average annual value closer to the $30 million mark with an extension.
The Bengals, who are desperate to restock their defense, appear more than willing to accommodate Lawrence’s wishes. They allowed the sixth fewest points in the NFL in 2022 but have regressed each year since and surrendered the third most points in 2025.
Bengals grade: A-
It’s an aggressive move, but the Bengals have to stop wasting Joe Burrow’s prime years. The defense was in total disarray over the past two seasons, and the firing of coordinator Lou Anarumo following the 2024 season was always a curious move, especially since they got worse in the aftermath. The contractual spat with defensive end Trey Hendrickson became an exhausting storyline before he left last month in free agency.
So yeah, the Bengals need to get the pendulum swinging in the other direction, and Lawrence helps after Cincinnati already added defensive end Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen in free agency. They might have gotten Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane with the 10th pick in the draft, but the Bengals — and Burrow — need the jolt now.
Giants grade: A
The Giants now enter draft week with the Nos. 5 and 10 picks, so they’re equipped to address two major needs to launch the John Harbaugh era.
That’s intriguing with the makeup of this draft class, as top prospects such as Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State inside linebacker Sonny Styles and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs don’t play premium positions — something that’s created internal philosophical debates within front offices as they handle draft strategies. If the Giants take one of those players at No. 5, they could theoretically stack a receiver or a higher-value position on top to accentuate the value of the class.
But really, the Giants created momentum with wide receiver Malik Nabers and quarterback Jaxson Dart as the headliners of their last two draft classes, and now they’ve got two quality assets to keep it going.
They also got incredible value for a player who publicly requested a trade.
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