The Cincinnati Bengals are officially all-in after trading away the No. 10 overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, and acquiring All-Pro defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants.
The move is an uncharacteristic one for a Bengals franchise that has historically been averse to blockbuster moves such as this one. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport wrote (via X): “For years, the Bengals have appeared risk averse. Few trades. They are cooking now. A big one to shake up the draft.”
As Rapoport mentioned, the move was a big one, and that left many around the league in shock. Now, some Bengals players, including superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, have shared their true feelings on the trade.
Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase Shares Feelings on Trade
Shortly after the trade was reported, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase posted a celebratory dancing video on his Instagram story, expressing excitement over the acquisition.
This offseason, the Bengals had already gone big game hunting as they reached out to the Las Vegas Raiders on a potential Maxx Crosby trade. Ultimately, the Raiders agreed to a deal that sent Crosby to the Ravens, which Baltimore would then back out of. However, at that time Chase expressed his frustration on the team not getting Crosby.
“No f—ing s—. No f—ing s—, brother. “I’m f—ing highly p—ed right now. Oh my God. How do we let this n—- go to the f—ing division bro?” Chase said during a livestream “… Oh my God.”
After Crosby did not land in the division, Chase will likely happily settle for the consolation prize of the Cincinnati Bengals acquiring a three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman.
Additional Reactions
Chase was not the only member of the Bengals to share his excitement over the move. Tight end Mike Gesicki wrote (via X): “LETS GOOOOOO!!! I Officially have a new touchdown dance to start practicing.”
Additionally, defensive lineman BJ Hill, who had previously played with Lawrence in New York and had already teased the potential move with some cryptic posts, posted an emoji embracing the move.
Chase’s wide receiver partner Tee Higgins reacted to his Pro Bowl touchdown celebration, where he imitated Lawrence’s signature celebration, and posted, “A lot of this in the jungle huh.”
Excitement appears to be high in the Bengals locker room following a move that lands a player of Lawrence’s caliber. In 2022 and 2023, Lawrence was Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated interior defensive lineman; however, that has slightly declined since. During the 2025 season, he was ranked as the No. 9 interior defensive lineman and received his worst run defense grade since the 2021 season.
Regarding the impact of Lawrence, Bengals on SI’s Zach Pressnell wrote:
“Landing Lawrence is a massive move for the Bengals. He’s going to be a game wrecker in the middle of their defense. This defense desperately needed an impact player at defensive tackle. Jonathan Allen was a solid addition, but Lawrence is the kind of player who takes a bad defense and helps turn it into a good one.
The 28-year-old is one of the elite interior pass-rushing talent in the NFL, with 30-plus pressures in every season since 2021. The Bengals are all-in to win in 2026. This deal proves that.”
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