CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals made a blockbuster move Saturday night — trading their No. 10 draft pick for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
Cincinnati acquired the three-time Pro Bowler ahead of next week's NFL draft.
The Bengals said Sunday that they signed the 28-year-old to a one-year contract extension through the 2028 season. ESPN's Adam Schefter said Lawrence is getting $28 million in the extension.
Lawrence was in the middle of a four-year, $90 million contract signed in 2023. He previously asked for a trade after he and New York came to an impasse during new contract negotiations, according to ESPN's Ben Baby.
Schefter called the trade "unprecedented."
"This is the first time in the common draft era that dates back to 1966 in which the Bengals ever have traded a Top-10 pick for a player, per ESPN research," Schefter wrote.
Going into the 2026 draft, it'll be the first time Cincinnati doesn't have a first-round pick since 1989. The Giants now have the fifth and 10th overall picks after the trade.
"The opportunity to add a player of Dexter's ability was too good to pass up thanks to the commitment by Mr. Brown, Katie Blackburn, Troy Blackburn, Paul Brown and our player personnel staff," said Duke Tobin, the Bengals' director of player personnel.
Tobin said Lawrence fits the vision they have for Cincinnati's defense.
"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," Tobin said.
The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Lawrence had a career-high nine sacks in 2024, but only registered a half-sack last season. He was a Pro Bowl selection from 2022 through 2024 and was named second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023.
"We are excited to add Dexter to our team," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "He has been a dominant player in the league since he was drafted, and he will be a tremendous presence on the field and in our locker room."
The move comes as the Bengals work to bolster their defense after it ranked near the bottom of the league in several categories last season.
Before the Lawrence trade, Cincinnati signed edge rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at the start of free agency.
