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The Cincinnati Bengals made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they acquired former Clemson standout Dexter Lawrence from the Giants in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
After landing Lawrence, Cincinnati signed the veteran defensive tackle to a new extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season. The deal gives the Bengals one of the league’s most accomplished interior defenders while avoiding the uncertainty that comes with relying on a draft pick.
That decision is earning praise around the NFL. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently spoke with executives, coaches and scouts about the offseason’s best moves, and Cincinnati’s trade for Lawrence was among the transactions that stood out most.
One AFC executive pointed to both Lawrence’s talent and contract value when discussing the move.
“Cincinnati wasn’t getting close to that kind of deal with Trey Hendrickson [now with the Ravens], and here they get a premier defensive tackle, which you can build a defense around,” the executive said.
Lawrence has been one of the NFL’s top defensive tackles over the last several seasons. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2022-24 and collected All-Pro honors in both 2022 and 2023. Even after what was considered a down year by his standards in 2025, league evaluators still view him as one of the game’s premier players at his position.
The former Clemson star enters the 2026 season with 341 career tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 30.5 sacks. If he returns to his previous level of production, it’s easy to see why NFL decision-makers believe Cincinnati landed one of the offseason’s best additions.
Contact us@Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page onFacebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigersnews and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: NFL executives highlight former Clemson star in top offseason trade rankings
Continue reading...
After landing Lawrence, Cincinnati signed the veteran defensive tackle to a new extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season. The deal gives the Bengals one of the league’s most accomplished interior defenders while avoiding the uncertainty that comes with relying on a draft pick.
That decision is earning praise around the NFL. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently spoke with executives, coaches and scouts about the offseason’s best moves, and Cincinnati’s trade for Lawrence was among the transactions that stood out most.
One AFC executive pointed to both Lawrence’s talent and contract value when discussing the move.
“Cincinnati wasn’t getting close to that kind of deal with Trey Hendrickson [now with the Ravens], and here they get a premier defensive tackle, which you can build a defense around,” the executive said.
Lawrence has been one of the NFL’s top defensive tackles over the last several seasons. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2022-24 and collected All-Pro honors in both 2022 and 2023. Even after what was considered a down year by his standards in 2025, league evaluators still view him as one of the game’s premier players at his position.
The former Clemson star enters the 2026 season with 341 career tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 30.5 sacks. If he returns to his previous level of production, it’s easy to see why NFL decision-makers believe Cincinnati landed one of the offseason’s best additions.
Contact us@Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page onFacebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigersnews and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: NFL executives highlight former Clemson star in top offseason trade rankings
Continue reading...
