Bengals just proved to the NFL why they were willing to trade a first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence

The Cincinnati Bengals turned heads by giving up a first-round pick for Pro Bowl nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, but the cost of his new contract makes the trade all the more sensical for Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made their trade for Dexter Lawrence official, along with a new contract extension for the former first-round pick.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cincinnati is signing Lawrence to a one-year, $28 million extension. His contract with the New York Giants had two years and $42 million remaining, making his contract with the Bengals three years, $70 million.

The details of the new money, i.e. a new signing bonus, are unknown as of this posting. Lawrence had earned all the guaranteed money from his extension with the Giants. It would make sense for the Bengals to include guarantees to ensure he has security for at least the next year or two.

No matter the details, a one-year extension for $28 million is completely manageable for Cincinnati and its salary cap health over the next few years. Furthermore, it makes the cost of a first-round pick to acquire Lawrence all the more worth it.

Bengals’ extension for Dexter Lawrence legitimizes trading away first-round pick

Trading for a player like Lawrence is never as simple as trading a draft pick (or two) to get the deal done. There’s almost always a new contract that needs to be agreed to for both sides to be fully committed to one another.

The Bengals were in a similar situation last year. Trey Hendrickson wanted a new contract and Cincy wasn’t willing to pay his price. The cost for inquiring teams was a first-round pick. The issue was those clubs weren’t willing to give up a first-rounder AND pay Hendrickson a new deal. The extension leg of the transaction is what took the draft capital down to a range the Bengals weren’t willing to accept.

Giving a massive, multi-year raise can make giving up a first-rounder more of a burden. It’s losing a valuable draft pick AND sacrificing significant money in the process. Trading away a Day 2 pick becomes a much more palatable decision to balance out the cost of the extension.

But if said extension is a reasonable one-year add-on, then a first-round pick becomes more tolerable to give up.

“The opportunity to add a player of Dexter’s ability was too good to pass up thanks to the commitment by Mr. Brown, Katie Blackburn, Troy Blackburn, Paul Brown and our player personnel staff,” . “Dexter fits the vision we have on our defense and will also elevate others around him. We are confident in Dexter and can’t wait to see the positive effects he and the other players we have acquired this offseason have on our football team. We are excited to turn to the draft and our remaining picks to further enhance our team.”