REPORT: Giants Trade Dexter Lawrence to AFC Contender

The New York Giants are trading star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

The trade will become official pending Lawrence's physical with the Bengals, which is set for Sunday.

Lawrence's name has been in trade rumors over the past few weeks, as he was seeking a raise in his contract. New York opted to trade him away, and they now hold the 5th and 10th overall selections in the first round of the draft.

Lawrence is a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the best defensive tackles in the league. In the 2025 season, Lawrence finished with 31 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits.

It was a regression in numbers from the 2024 season, where he was elite as a pass rusher, as he had 44 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, nine sacks, and 16 quarterback hits in just 12 games.

While Lawrence has proven to be one of the best interior pass rushers in the league, the Giants did not feel comfortable giving him a bigger contract. They maximized his value by landing another top-10 selection.

New York now has the chance to retool their roster as they enter a new era with John Harbaugh as their head coach.

Harbaugh had a ton of success in 18 seasons as the Baltimore Ravens head coach. He holds a career record of 180-113, including a Super Bowl in 2012.

Harbaugh will be able to put his vision in place with the two early first-round selections in the NFL Draft, adding to the young talent on the roster, which includes Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and more.

New York also still has a ton of talent on their defensive line despite trading Lawrence. They will lean on the edge rushers of Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux to pressure the quarterback while potentially adding a Lawrence replacement in the draft.

The Giants did a tremendous job of maximizing the value of Lawrence and landing another top-10 selection to continue adding to their young core in the vision of their new head coach, Harbaugh.

NY Giants Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Giants. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.