The Cincinnati Bengals have made a splash move ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, as they traded for disgruntled New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on Saturday night. In exchange for Lawrence, the Bengals sent the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft the other way, which shocked the collective NFL world.
Cincinnati paid a steep price to acquire Lawrence, which was made only more shocking given the fact that the team now has to sign him to a contract extension. That part of the process has already been taken care of, though, as Cincy has reportedly already agreed to terms on a new deal with Lawrence.
Bengals Ink Dexter Lawrence to 1-Year, $28 Million Contract Extension
Lawrence requested a trade from the Giants earlier this month due to his contract, which was set to pay him around $40 million over the next two years. Even though he was coming off a down year by his standards in 2025, Lawrence wanted a new deal that would pay him in line with other top defensive tackles across the league.
New York decided against giving Lawrence the sort of deal he was looking for and began listening to offers for his services. Cincinnati came in and blew everyone else out of the water by offering the No. 10 overall pick, which is a massive return for Lawrence, even when considering he is one of the best players at his position in the entire NFL.
Again, not only did the Bengals acquire just Lawrence in exchange for this pick, but they are also on the hook when it comes to his contract situation. The good news is that Cincy’s front office has already crossed off this important piece of business, as it has reportedly signed its new defensive star to a one-year, $28 million contract extension.
“Compensation update: Now that he has passed his physical and the trade is official, newly-acquired DT Dexter Lawerence is signing a one-year, $28 million contract extension with the Bengals, per Win Sports Group,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X. “So in the end, Lawrence gets the trade he wanted while being contractually tied to Cincinnati for the next three seasons.”
Bengals Hoping Dexter Lawrence Can Bounce Back in 2026
GettyThe Giants were reportedly surprised that the Bengals offered them the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for Dexter Lawrence
The Bengals are taking a pretty sizable risk in trading for Lawrence. While he turned in a solid 2025 season, his numbers weren’t what fans have become accustomed to seeing from him (31 tackles, 0.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups). Cincy is paying a premium for a guy who was not even a Pro Bowl-caliber player in 2025.
And yet, given how lackluster Cincinnati’s defense has been in recent years, this is the sort of move that the front office has needed to make for some time now. Lawrence undoubtedly makes the Bengals’ defense better, but whether or not this will prove to be a worthwhile investment will depend on if this team can find its way back to the playoffs next season.
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