Bengals swap No. 10 pick for Dexter Lawrence to bolster run defense
TL;DR
The Bengals traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Giants to acquire Dexter Lawrence, a move aimed at shoring up a leaky run defense (147.1 rushing yards per game and 5.22 ypc in 2025) with Lawrence set to earn about $22 million in 2026 and $25 million in 2027; Duke Tobin called the deal too good to pass up as Cincinnati pursues a playoff run, hoping Lawrence sparks a stronger 2026 run stop while the Giants allowed 145.3 ypg and 5.31 ypc last season.
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- The Deal For Dex: Lightning And Labor As Bengals Shake Up NFL Draft First Round Cincinnati Bengals
- Albert Breer’s Takeaways: How the Dexter Lawrence II Trade Came Together Sports Illustrated
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