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Dexter Lawrence trade: Giants move star in deal involving 10th pick in NFL Draft

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh04/19/26griffin_mcveigh

Just days before the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals have put together a blockbuster deal. New York is sending star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati. In return, the No. 10 overall pick will make its way back to the Giants.

“#Giants star Dexter Lawrence is being traded to the #Bengals in a pre-Draft blockbuster that includes the No. 10 pick heading to the Giants, per me and @MikeGarafolo,” Rapoport said via X. “NYG gets premium draft compensation, Cincy gets a lynchpin, while Sexy Dexy gets a new, big-money extension.”

There are no other assets involved in this trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lawrence heads to Cincinnati for the No. 10 overall pick.

As teams around the NFL have recently learned, there is an important aspect of a trade that needs to be completed before becoming official. Lawrence needs to undergo a physical, which will take place within the next 24 hours, before becoming a Bengal.

“Dexter Lawrence is scheduled to travel to Cincinnati on Sunday for a physical that would make the trade official,” Schefter said via X. “For now, the two sides have agreed to the trade, pending a physical.”

Folks in Cincinnati have to be thrilled with adding Lawrence to the defense. He has been widely viewed as one of the best players at his position in recent years. Three straight Pro Bowls had been on the resume before the streak was snapped in 2025. Even more impressively, two second-team All-Pros were produced by Lawrence in 2022 and 2023. In the latter, he also finished in the top 10 of Defensive Player of the Year voting.

From a stats perspective, Lawrence put up 31 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, and 0.5 sacks this past campaign. Eight quarterback hits also stand out when looking at the sheet. Cincinnati desperately needs some kind of production along the defensive line. Lawrence will certainly do so.

The Giants have to be pretty happy with where they stand heading into Thursday night. New head coach John Harbaugh will now have the opportunity to take two players inside the top 10. New York is a roster needing of a lot of talent. Getting picks No. 5 and No. 10 allows you to add premium players.

Exactly who they select will turn into one of the top storylines of the draft. Especially since Lawrence is the guy heading out the door.