Dexter Lawrence: Everything you need to know

Lawrence and the Bengals agreed to terms on a one-year, $28 million contract extension Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Saturday's trade with the Giants -- which saw the No. 10 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft move to New York -- was finalized Sunday after Lawrence passed his physical, and the extension ensures that the 2019 first-rounder will be under contract with the Bengals through the next three seasons. The Clemson product is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 regular season, when he tallied 31 tackles (14 solo), including 0.5 sacks, all of which were career lows. Lawrence was named to the NFL's All-Pro Second Team in both 2022 and 2023, and if he can return to that level, it would be a massive boost to a Bengals defensive front that also includes Jonathan Allen, Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe.

The Bengals agreed to terms Saturday on a trade with the Giants to acquire Lawrence in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler heading into just his age-29 season, stands to ink an extension with his new team shortly. He requested a trade out of New York due to dissatisfaction with the four-year, $87.5 million deal he inked with the Giants back in 2023. The standout defensive tackle's arrival in Cincinnati immediately shores up the team's interior defensive line, though after totaling 9.0 sacks in 2024, Lawrence is now working to rebound from a 2025 campaign in which he totaled just a half-sack on 31 tackles across 17 regular-season appearances. The draft capital surrendered by the Bengals in order to acquire Lawrence's talents effectively guarantees that he will be featured by new defensive coordinator Al Golden, providing the veteran DT with a boost to his fantasy value in IDP formats.

Lawrence and the Giants have reportedly reached an impasse on talks regarding a new contract extension for the defensive tackle, per ESPN.com. The report notes that Lawrence previously requested a trade and hasn't been present for the start of the team's initial offseason workout program. Meanwhile, as the NFL Draft approaches, the Giants are said to have engaged with other teams about a potential trade for the 2019 first rounder, who recorded 31 tackles in 17 regular-season games in 2025. That said, it's still possible the two sides could find enough common ground for Lawrence to stick around in 2026, on the heels of conversations with Lawrence's agent that GM Joe Schoen labeled "productive."