The NFL Draft is less than one week away, and two teams are already making big moves. The New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals have pulled off a blockbuster trade.
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The move went down late Saturday night. NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported that the Cincinnati Bengals agreed to send the 10th overall pick in next week's NFL Draft to the New York Giants in exchange for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
The deal will not become official until Sunday when Lawrence flies to Cincinnati and undergoes a physical. Once this happens, he will move from the NFC East to the AFC North.
The Giants will control two early picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team secured the fifth overall pick by going 4-13 last season. The Bengals secured the 10th pick by going 6-11. This pick now belongs to the Giants.
A first-round pick out of Clemson in 2017, Lawrence has spent his entire career with the Giants. He has piled up 341 combined tackles, 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and one interception.
He had strong campaigns in both 2022 and 2024 as he piled up 7.5 and nine sacks, respectively. Last season, however, he only managed just a half-sack and a career-low 31 tackles.
Garafolo notes that the three-time Pro Bowl defender will get a new deal from his new team. This addresses a concern that the defender had as he entered the third year of his four-year, $90 million extension that he signed in May 2023.
Lawrence sought an extension after falling to 11th in defensive linemen contracts. He and the Giants could not come to terms, which led to him requesting a trade. Lawrence also prepared to sit out offseason workouts.
The trade will now give the big defensive tackle a fresh start. He will suit up for a new team, pending his physical, while working under a new coaching staff. The Giants and new head coach John Harbaugh will have the opportunity to stock up on young players with two first-round picks.
