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. And if the Bengals can get to the postseason, they can win. Burrow becomes even better in a single-elimination setting.

The run defense last year was as bad as it could have been. The Bengals surrendered 147.1 rushing yards per game in 2025. That was the highest average in the league. The Bengals also allowed 5.22 yards per carry. That was the second-highest per-play rate.

That said, the Giants (with Lawrence starting all 17 games) allowed 145.3 rushing yards per game. That was the second-highest average in the league, behind only the Bengals. And the Giants allowed 5.31 rushing yards per attempt — the worst in the league.

Regardless, the Bengals needed to do something to beef up the middle of the defense. They have that now in Lawrence, who presumably will be happier and more motivated in 2026. Whether he'll do enough to help get the defense off the field and allow Burrow and company to move the chains and score the points remains to be seen.