Bengals extend Lawrence after blockbuster trade

Bengals extend Lawrence after blockbuster trade

Ben BabyApr 19, 2026, 11:42 AM ET Close Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while…

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    Ben BabyApr 19, 2026, 11:42 AM ET

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      Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).

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Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II passed his physical with the Cincinnati Bengals and has signed a one-year, $28 million extension, the Win Sports Group told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday.

Lawrence, acquired by the Bengals from the New York Giants for the No. 10 pick in this week’s draft, is now under contract with Cincinnati for the next three seasons.

The Bengals announced Lawrence’s extension but did not disclose financial terms.

“Dexter fits the vision we have on our defense and will also elevate others around him,” Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said in a statement. “We are confident in Dexter and can’t wait to see the positive effects he and the other players we have acquired this offseason have on our football team. We are excited to turn to the draft and our remaining picks to further enhance our team.”

The Giants traded Lawrence after they had reached an impasse in negotiations on a new deal. He requested a trade after seven years with New York.

The Giants now own the rights to the No. 5 and No. 10 picks in the first round.

Lawrence, 28, was a Pro Bowl selection from 2022 through 2024 and was named second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023. He has 30.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss in 109 career games but is coming off a season with career lows in sacks (0.5) and tackles (33).

The move is a rare one for Cincinnati. According to ESPN Research, this is the first time the Bengals have traded a top-10 pick for a player in the common draft era (since 1966).

The trade helps the Bengals solidify an offseason strategy built around strengthening the line of scrimmage. In free agency, Cincinnati signed former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million deal and added former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $25 million deal.

Aside from those additions and the signing of former Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (three years, $40.25 million), Cincinnati had a relatively quiet offseason. But Lawrence’s acquisition significantly changes the tenor of the Bengals’ moves. Cincinnati is looking to quickly improve a defense that struggled last season as the team missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan contributed to this report.

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