The Cincinnati Bengals traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for DE Dexter Lawrence just days before the 2026 NFL Draft. This trade reshapes the draft landscape, giving the Giants two top 10 picks while the Bengals revamp their defense.
Key points
Bengals traded No. 10 overall pick to Giants for Dexter Lawrence
Giants now have two top 10 picks in the draft
Bengals revamped their defense after losing Trey Hendrickson
Bengals added four defensive free agents
Trade reshapes the 2026 NFL Draft landscape
Cincinnati BengalsNew York GiantsDexter LawrenceJoe Burrow
We are now just 4 days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and there have already been some fireworks. Saturday night, the Cincinnati Bengals pulled off one of their biggest and most unlikely trades ever. They traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for DE Dexter Lawrence. This is a team that is known for being âfrugalâ. Pulling this deal off is meant to improve the teamâs defense, and to send a message to the fansâŠand QB Joe Burrow, that it is a new day in Cincy.
After losing Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals have completely revamped their defense. Aside from Lawrence, the team has added four defensive free agents. They have acquired fellow DE/DT Jonathan Allen, Edge Boye Mafe, and two safeties, Bryan Cook and Kyle Duggar.
For the Giants, the trade sheds some salary and gives them two top 10 picks. This deal reshapes the draft. The Bengals now have no first-round pick, and the Giants have those two in the top 10.
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Fernando Mendoza
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana. Their doesenât seem to be a scenario that Mendoza goes anywhere but Las Vegas.
2. New York Jets: David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech. The Jets need help everywhere. With the second pick of the draft, they land on DE Bailey. There were many options here for them. The best move may have been to trade down to stockpile more picks, as they have been doing. This is a complete teardown situation.
**3. Arizona Cardinals: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St.**The Cardinals need help on both sides of the ball, but even with the release of Kyler Murray, they need more help on the defensive side of the ball. They opt for Styles. They just as easily could take fellow Ohio St LB Arvell Reese.
**4. Tennessee Titans: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio St.**Reese ends up going here, with the Titans. The Titans and Cardinals each need an impact game-wrecker, and Reese and Styles should each go #3 and #4, in some order.
**5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St.**Many feel that Downs is the best overall athlete in the draft. His position, more than anything, is affecting his draft position. Adding the No. 10 pick in the trade with the Bengals on Saturday allows the Giants to snag a potential No. 1 talent here at No. 5, even at a non-premier position, like LT, WR, CB, or QB.
6. Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame. This team is dying for a game-changing offensive piece. They think theyâve found one in Love.
7. Washington Commanders: Francis Maugoa, OT, Miami. The Commanders are ecstatic that they can snag the top-rated offensive lineman in this yearâs draft to protect Jayden Daniels.
**8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio St.**The Saints are ecstatic that they can snag the top-rated WR in this yearâs draft.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon. Most mocks have Sadiq going lower than ninth, in the 15-20 range. This feels like such a no-brainer for the Chiefs that I canât see them passing on Sadiq. They have an aging TE well into the back nine of his career, in Travis Kelce. Sadiq is by far the top-rated TE in this yearâs draft.
10. New York Giants: TRADE DOWN TO #11 WITH DOLPHINS. Ruben Bain DE Miami. Moving up one spot will cost the Dolphins their fourth-round pick, but they get their man, whoâs been in their backyard with the Hurricanes. Bain is the first piece of their rebuilding process.
11 â 20 Overall
11. Miami Dolphins: TRADE UP TO #10 WITH GIANTS, Spencer Fano, OT, Utah. The Giants turned Dexter Lawrence into an extra fourth-round pick by trading down one spot with the Dolphins. With this pick, they grab O-lineman Fano from Utah. Their two picks will help them greatly on both sides of the ball.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU. Jerry Jones is psyched that Delane is available at no.12. He is a lightning-fast and fantastic cover CB. A good comp for him is Stefon Gilmore, which is rarified air.
13. Los Angeles Rams: Makai Lemon, WR, USC. For a team that relies so heavily on the passing game, they have new questions about Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Lemon has decent size and speed, with fantastic hands and route-running skills.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington. The Lamar Jackson era is closing fast, and the Ravens need some new blood to surround him with on offense. The team has brought in defensive-minded HC Jesse Minter. He addressed the defense by getting Trey Hendrickson, but with their first pick, they picked Boston, who has a great catch radius and excels in catching 50-50 balls.
**15, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jordan Tyson, WR, Arizona St.**The Buccaneers need to replace Mike Evans, and Tyson ends the run on WRs. He is the prototypical WR at 6â2 and 200lbs who possesses that rare, size and speed combination. Tyson is a great landing spot, with Baker Mayfield getting him the ball.
16. Dallas Cowboys (TRADE WITH NEW YORK JETS): Peter Woods, DT, Clemson. The Cowboys target this monster and move up four spots to get him. Woods is 6â3 and 320lbs, and can bench press 450lbs. Heâll add raw athleticism to this Cowboys defense.
17. Detroit Lions: Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama. The Lions need to beef up the middle of their O-line, and Proctor fits the bill. He is a mountain of a man at 6â7 and 375lbs. He will help in the passing and rushing game.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Zion Young, DE, Missouri. At 6â5 and 260lbs he has both quickness and explosiveness. In a division with Jordan Love, Lared Goff, and Caleb Williams, Young will create constant havoc and chaos.
19. Carolina Panthers: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas AM. Concepcion is my newest player in this draft, and I hope the best for him. This week, he spoke of his lifelong troubles regarding bullying due to his stuttering, and how he was able to overcome it. He showed confidence and class. I wish he were in a better offensive system, with a better QB than Bryce Young to get him the ballâŠbut this kid is a winner.
20. New York Jets (TRADE WITH Dallas Cowboys): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama. This is a solid move for the Jets. They trade down four spots and stockpile later picksâŠand get the guy they covet and desperately need. They could have taken a chance to see if heâd be available in the second round, but they needed a QB, and they got oneâŠwhile gaining extra picks.
21-32 Overall
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide
**Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn St.**The Steelers QB situation is a disaster, but whoever ends up being under center will need to be protected. They take Shelton here.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Vega Loane, G, Penn St. The Chargers desperately need to protect Justin Herbert and help their running game. Loane will do both.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama. The chances that AJ Brown will be an Eagle by opening night is slim and none. There was already a mini-run at the WR position, but Bernard is a solid choice here at no.23.
24. Cleveland Browns: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia. Freeling seems destined to be a Brown, with some mocks having him going to the Browns with their sixth pick. With other potential O-lineman available here, but only Love available at no.6, they secure Love early and hope for Freeling. Their prayers were answered as they get the 6â7 lineman.
25. Chicago Bears: TJ Parker, DE, Clemson. The team has stabilized on offense, but still needs depth on offense. They take the DE here at no.25. Parker had 18 solo tackles with 10 for lossesâŠand he had five sacks. At 6â4 and 260lbs he is a bullet coming off the edge.
26. Buffalo Bills: Keldrick Faulk, DE, Auburn. The DE is impressive. Heâs taller and bigger than Parker, although he is more of a project. Heâs 6â6 and 285lbs. Due to some regression from 2024, he has fallen to no.26âŠhe had been a potential top-10 pick.
27. San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida. With the run on WRs, the 49ers were forced to pivot. The cost to move up became too pricy, so the Niners settle on DT Banks, whoâll make a fine consolation prize.
28. Houston Texans: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah. The Texans desperately need to protect QB CJ Stroud. After a record-breaking rookie season their has been some regression for Stroud over the last couple of seasons. Lomu is 6â6 and 315lbs and will be a wall for Stroud.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Jermond McCoy, CB, Tennessee. With Sadiq taken at no.9, and McCoy taken here at no.29, this is a fantastic first round for the Chiefs, and the start of their mini-rebuild.
30. Miami Dolphins: TRADE DOWN SIX SPOTS TO #36 WITH RAIDERS. Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana. The Dolphins need to stockpile picks, and they find a partner with the Raiders. They trade out of the first round, with the Raiders moving up six spots to snag the WR they covet, and they didnât want to take the chance that these teams in between would grab him. Miami is banking on their future with Mondoza at no.1. They want to give him a familiar face and target, with this pick, grabbing Indianaâs WR, Cooper.
31. New England Patriots: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee. The Patriots look to be heading towards a clash with CB Christian Gonzalez. Top Defensive players are now routinely going for $40M. The Pats donât like to pay at the top of the market, and they never do it sooner than they need to. To leverage Gonzalez, they take Hood.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon. When you are the defending Super Bowl Champs, youâre often trading for depth. Thieneman is projected to go as high as 12th⊠so, under the category of âtaking the best player available,â the Seahawks grab Thieneman.
