New York Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals, snag second top 10 pick
By Ethan Stone
Published:
The New York Giants are trading star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in a deal that send the No. 10 overall pick to New York. The Giants now have the No. 5 and No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft, which kicks off on April 23.
This is an intriguing move for the SEC because the Giants have need for a cornerback this offseason, and the top 2 cornerbacks in the draft are both from the SEC — LSU‘s Mansoor Delane and Tennessee‘s Jermod McCoy. Like the Giants could be now, Cincinnati was also a popular pick for a first-round cornerback at No. 10.
As for Lawrence, this deal moves him to Cincinnati after 7 years with the Giants. Lawrence posted 9 sacks in 2024 despite playing in just 12 games, but he had a down year as a pass rusher in 2025, totaling just 0.5 sacks. The 3-time pro bowler requested to be traded and he got his wish.
Lawrence is a great veteran player, but this is still a bit of a puzzling move by the Bengals. There is a lot of defensive talent set to be available at No. 10, and Lawrence is nearing 30 years old with a notable asking price. Still, the Bengals needed a stud interior defensive lineman and that’s what they now have.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
