Dexter Lawrence and the Bengals have struck a deal.
After the Giants agreed to trade the disgruntled defensive tackle Saturday night, Lawrence is getting a one-year, $28 million contract extension from Cincinnati, multiple reports said Sunday morning, citing the 28-year-old’s agency.
The Giants are getting the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in the trade and now hold two top-10 selections; they will also pick at No. 5.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said in a statement Sunday morning after the trade became official that the opportunity to add Lawrence “was too good to pass up.”
“Dexter fits the vision we have on our defense and will also elevate others around him,” Tobin added. “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.”
Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler coming off a down season, requested a trade after he and the Giants couldn’t come to an agreement on a reworked contract.
He had two years left on a four-year, $90 million contract that included $$60 million guaranteed.
So new head coach John Harbaugh was dealt his first bit of turmoil but now gets a chance to have an even bigger imprint on the roster as he looks to drag the Giants out of the doldrums, as he’ll add what the team hopes will be two premium young players to a core headlined by second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Lawrence, who had nine sacks in 2024 and has long been a force against the run, didn’t make as much of an impact on a Giants defense that struggled as a whole in 2025. He had just half a sack last season.
