The Cincinnati Bengals managed to pull off a blockbuster trade. Just days before the NFL Draft, they added star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants. In return, they sent the No. 10 overall pick back to the Giants.
Adam Schefter added some context for the deal and what makes it so historic. In particular, for how the Bengals approach the NFL Draft.
“A Bengals trade for Dexter Lawrence is unprecedented: This is the first time in the common draft era that dates back to 1966 in which the Bengals ever have traded a Top-10 pick for a player, per ESPN research,” Schefter wrote.
While the deal was unprecedented for the Bengals, it was also a necessary one. Cincinnati has had a major weakness along the defensive line, made worse by the loss of Trey Hendrickson. Adding Lawrence goes a long way to fixing that gap. At 28 years old, he was a Pro Bowl selection for three straight seasons, from 2022 to 2025.
Trey Wingo Had a Surprisingly Negative Reaction to the Cincinnati Bengals Trading for Dexter Lawrence
GettyFormer New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence
There is a lot of excitement around the Dexter Lawrence trade for Cincinnati Bengals fans. That’s to be expected. After all, he immediately becomes one of the best players on the entire team. Even with that, Trey Wingo seemed incredibly confused by why the Bengals would make this trade.
“So let me get this straight,” Wingo wrote in a Twitter/X post. “It’s a deep defensive draft… so you trade away a top 10 pick where you could lock up a younger player for up to 5 years…. for an older ( but very good) player…who can walk in 2 years as a free agent?”
Wingo clearly thinks that the Bengals should have used the No. 10 overall pick to take a defensive lineman. If that pick worked out, they could hypothetically become a younger version of Lawrence, which would have a bit more value on a more manageable contract.
There is a problem with that. The NFL Draft is a gamble. Busts happen. Lawrence is a proven commodity in the NFL, which is something Cincinnati needs.
Wingo did get some immediate pushback from fans in the replies. One wrote, “If the Rams, Eagles, packers, patriots, chiefs, would have made this move then it’s a master class of management. Cincy makes a move…we get these tweets.” Then, another writer added, “The Bengals want to win now. Who at 10 helps them more in the short term than trading for Lawrence?”
Of course, Wingo isn’t alone. There are experts who still think that Cincinnati overspent for Lawrence, but it’s a clear signal that the Bengals do want to win now.
Bengals Received Positive Reports on the Lawrence Contract Situation
GettyFormer New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence
Dexter Lawrence requested his trade from the Giants due to issues negotiating a contract extension. Now that he’s in Cincinnati, he’s still going to want an extension and financial security, it’s just on the Bengals to try and provide that.
Luckily, Bengals fans quickly got some good news there. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Bengals are expected to work out a long-term deal with Lawrence as a part of the trade. He’ll just need to pass his physical first.
That means, at the very least, the Bengals know that they’re not trading the No. 10 overall pick for a single season of Lawrence or a potential contract standoff during the offseason. It should be a smooth transition.
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