Cincinnati Bengals
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A blockbuster trade idea has the Bengals landing Dexter Lawrence
The Cincinnati Bengals have made significant efforts to improve their defense this offseason, but after the departure of All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, a real case could be made that the team’s defensive roster has gotten worse. While the team allowed the third-most points in the NFL last season, Hendrickson missed most of the season due to ongoing injuries. Now, the former Bengals player will hope to return to his All-Pro form with the division rival Baltimore Ravens.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati signed former Seattle Seahawks edgeBoye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million contract to serve as Hendrickson’s replacement. Despite Mafe’s elite athleticism and high motor, the productivity has not been there as a pass rusher, as he totaled just two sacks
As a result, the Bengals are still expected to address their defense in what remains of the offseason. While the team is likely focused on the upcoming draft, Cincinnati could still make a blockbuster acquisition by trading for a disgruntled New York Giants star.
Trade Idea Sends Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati Bengals
New York Giants All-Pro defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence requested a trade amid a contract dispute with the team. Now, a new trade idea byBengals on SI writer Landon Belote links Lawrence to Cincinnati.
Belote suggested that the Bengals should trade up with the Giants, landing the No. 5 pick in the draft and Lawrence. With the fifth pick in the draft, Belote believed the Bengals would select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love,who is set to visit Cincinnati.
Belote wrote:
“Acquiring Lawrence in a trade by itself transforms the Bengals as a whole, but doing so while also drafting Jeremiyah Love would instantly propel a team that fell well short of expectations last season to possibly having the most talented roster in the AFC.
Having Love enhance the run game to an elite level, while having Lawrence along with free agent signings Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and Kyle Dugger, will lead to fewer instances of the team being unable to close out close games, something that has been arguably the biggest issue for the Bengals in recent years.”
Potential Trade Package
Regarding what it would take for Cincinnati to pull off this move, Belote wrote:
“It is not outlandish to think that sending the 41st overall pick in round two, along with a fourth-rounder (110th overall), and Andrei Iosivas could be enough to get the deal done for the Bengals.
What could ultimately be enough to get the deal finalized would be swapping picks in the first round, with the Bengals moving up to 5th overall, and the Giants moving back to 10th.”
Lawrence would be an immediate boost to both Cincinnati’s run and pass defense. Despite totaling only 0.5 sacks during the 2025 season, Lawrence was ranked as the seventh-best interior defensive lineman in pass rush gradeby Pro Football Focus due to his 34 pressures.
Meanwhile, Love is The Ringer’s Todd McShay’s top-ranked prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.McShay wrote:
“Love is the best player regardless of position in the 2026 draft class, and he grades out higher than 2025 sixth pick Ashton Jeanty did. He has a chance to be the first back drafted in the top five since the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley second in 2018.”
Adding an All-Pro interior defensive lineman and the prospect many consider to be the best player in the draft could be the blockbuster move that catapults Cincinnati back into contention.