Dexter Lawrence Already Making Impact as Bengals Leader During OTAs

When the Cincinnati Bengals traded for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the addition, because of his talent, was obvious, but his presence as a leader and veteran influence might play an even bigger role than the numbers he will likely put up in a Bengals uniform.

With young players like Shemar Stewart, Cassius Howell and Myles Murphy on the defensive line, there is a lot they can learn from the former All-Pro pass rusher and run stopper. Not to speak on the intricacies of Trey Hendrickson’s relationship with former Bengals players like Stewart and Murphy, but in 2025, Hendrickson may have been a net negative on their development, given the amount of time spent as a distraction with his contract dispute and public callouts of both head coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals front office.

At practice Tuesday, Dexter Lawrence spent ample time taking Stewart through technique drills, helping the young player polish his game ahead of a big season for the former Texas A&M Aggie, who is looking to bounce back after a drama-filled, disappointing Year 1 in the NFL.

Stewart was asked about the leadership presence Lawrence has had since arriving in Cincinnati and gave a nearly minutelong answer on the immediate returns he has seen at the start of camp.

“It’s hard to explain because he does a lot of things. He’s a great leader, a great communicator, he’s always trying to help everybody who’s in need. If we don’t understand something and he may know the answer, he’ll come in and talk to us. He’s just been a great addition. … We understand that everybody isn’t the same; he tries to break it down for me in a way I can understand.”

BJ Hill said something similar about Lawrence when interviewed by Bengals play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard. Hill talked about Lawrence as a man and how he always wants to help his brother or teammate if he can.

Veteran leadership is a trait this defense has been missing across the board over the past few years, and the defensive roster is ripe for someone to step in and lead. Dexter Lawrence is the perfect candidate to do so, having produced so much on and off the field. It will trickle down from the defensive line to the linebackers, who are led by two young second-year players, Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr.

Other additions like Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook have highlighted leadership as a key trait they plan to bring to Cincinnati this upcoming season. The ability and support they bring as plug-and-play players are one thing, but how their experience and leadership can influence their teammates and elevate the entire defensive unit by a level or two should be noted. The infusion of Lawrence, Cook, Mafe and Jonathan Allen could take the defense from bad to the upper half of the NFL instead of merely serviceable, which many fans would be perfectly OK with.