Bengals had no choice but to trade for Dexter Lawrence
The Bengals hadn't traded away a first-round pick since 1989. And for good reason. First-round picks become premium incoming players who are, regardless of their eventual NFL abilities, young and cheap.
That became particularly true in 2011, with a new labor deal that restricted the contracts available at the top of the draft. So why would the Bengals give up the tenth pick in the draft for an aging, expensive player? Last year, the tenth overall pick (Bears tight end Colston Loveland) signed a four-year, $26.
36 million deal. The Bengals will be paying Lawrence $22 million in 2026 alone. In 2027, he'll get $25 million.
V. P. of player personnel Duke Tobin nevertheless called the opportunity to acquire Lawrence for the tenth overall pick " too good to pass up .
" That perception comes from the reality that the Bengals desperately need to improve their run defense — especially with quarterback Joe Burrow becoming increasingly impatient about the lingering flaws on the roster. The Bengals aren't far from being good enough to make the playoffs. In their division, the other three teams have new coaches for 2026.