Dexter Lawrence is one of the top run-stuffers in the league as it pertains to the defensive tackle position.
They call him ‘Sexy Dexy’. It’s a hilarious nickname, but the name fits well with his character. More importantly, Lawrence’s impact on the defensive side of the ball cannot be denied.
It’s always good to have some meat-and-potatoes players on your offensive and defensive line. Now that the Bengals have Dexter Lawrence, it’s just what the team needs after three horrendous defensive seasons.
The Bengals ranked 31st in total defense in 2025 and 32nd in rushing defense, which is dead last. Cincinnati allowed 380.9 yards per game and gave up 60 total touchdowns.
Dexter Lawrence Ranked 7th Amongst Top Defensive Tackles
In the ultimate gamble, the Bengals traded their 2026 first-round pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence. Making a move like this proves that Cincy has a lot of faith in Dexter Lawrence to solve their problems in the rushing defense category. The Cincinnati Bengals ranked dead last in rushing defense in 2025.
In a recent ESPN article, Dexter Lawrence was ranked the 7th-best defensive tackle in the NFL according to scouts, executives, and coaches.
“Lawrence fell six spots, but the drop in his play isn’t that steep. The voting between the third and seventh spots was close. That said, Lawrence’s 0.5 sacks in 2025 were a career low, and he failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2021,” Jeremy Fowler wrote in the ESPN article.
“But no defensive tackle gets more attention from offensive lines. Lawrence faced a double-team 71.3% of the time in 2025, a league high for players with at least 300 pass-rush opportunities.”
Lawrence will garner attention with every opponent the Bengals play. Though he did not have a stellar 2025, he is expected to bounce back in a great way — on a new team, and in a new city. Dexter Lawrence recorded 14 solo tackles and 0.5 sacks last year.
Dexter Lawrence and New Look Bengals Defense
In 2024, the Bengals ranked 25th in total defense. They ranked 21st in passing defense and 19th in rushing defense. Cincinnati allowed 25 points per game in 2024 and gave up 348 yards per game to opposing teams.
I mean … where else can you go but up at that point?
Nonetheless, the Bengals gain a two-time First Team All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Furthermore, the Cincinnati Bengals signed DT Jonathan Allen to a two-year, $26 million contract worth a maximum of $28 million. Last season with the Vikings, Allen ended up playing in all 17 games. In his only season with the Minnesota Vikings, he racked up 68 total tackles to go along with 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
The Bengals roster has improved so much so that it has star quarterback Joe Burrow ready to go for the 2026 season.
“I think this is the most talented roster that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Burrow said during a May press conference.
“Got better at a lot of positions. Signed the best free agent safety. Got the best d-tackle in the league, in my opinion,” Burrow said. “We have a lot of depth now in the defensive line. That’s exciting, not just for me, but for those guys, so they don’t have to play as many snaps. We can have more of a rotation.”
Bengals’ Dexter Lawrence Gets Head-Turning Rank Among Top DT’s