The New York Giants are trading disgruntled defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Lawrence, who recently requested a trade from the Giants, will receive a lucrative contract extension with the Bengals, according to Rapoport. The 28-year-old will travel to Cincinnati for a physical Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Under his previous contract, the three-time Pro Bowler was signed for two more seasons. He inked a four-year, $90-million extension in 2023. However, his original deal didn't have guaranteed money remaining. The Giants and Lawrence unsuccessfully negotiated an adjusted contract in recent years.
New York will take on $13.9 million in dead cap while freeing up $13 million in salary-cap space, according to Spotrac.
Lawrence is one of the NFL's best interior linemen, having established himself as an elite run defender and disruptive pass-rusher. He racked up 21 sacks while claiming three Pro Bowl berths and two second-team All-Pro nods from 2022-24. However, he had only 0.5 sacks in 2025 while generating fewer than 10 quarterback hits for the first time since his rookie year.
When aligned at nose tackle, the 2019 No. 17 pick has 76 more pressures generated (108) than the second-best lineman in the NFL in that category (Vita Vea), according to Warren Sharp of SharpFootballAnalysis.com.
With the trade, the Giants - now under head coach John Harbaugh's watch - have two top-10 picks in 2026. New York also owns the fifth overall selection.
The Giants are in a great position to upgrade the supporting cast around second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. The team will presumably use at least one of its first-round choices on a wide receiver, giving Dart another promising weapon opposite Malik Nabers.
The Bengals have aggressively bolstered their defense this offseason, and Saturday's trade marks the club's biggest swing yet. Cincinnati also signed defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, pass-rusher Boye Mafe, and safety Bryan Cook, elevating the floor of its subpar defensive unit.
Cincy's defense ranked 25th or worse in points allowed in each of the past three seasons.
It's the first time in the common draft era (since 1966) in which the Bengals have traded a top-10 pick for a player, according to ESPN. The move also means Cincinnati will likely go without a first-round choice for just the second time in franchise history. The club's highest remaining 2026 selection is currently No. 41.
Six teams have multiple first-round picks this year. In addition to the Giants, the New York Jets (No. 2 and 16), Cleveland Browns (No. 6 and 24), Kansas City Chiefs (No. 9 and 29), Miami Dolphins (No. 11 and 30), and Dallas Cowboys (No. 12 and 20) own extra Round 1 selections.
