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The Cincinnati Bengals traded their 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to acquire defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants. ESPN analyst Seth Walder graded the trade as a 'D' for the Bengals, while the Giants received an 'A'.
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Bengals receive lousy grade for Dexter Lawrence trade from ESPN analyst originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cincinnati Bengals are making a move that's very uncharacteristic for their franchise. They've spent a first-rounder on an elite player in a trade.
The Bengals are sending the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. It's a huge deal, as the Bengals land a new superstar DT, who's set to make a lot more money, and shake up the top-10 of the draft.
But, for ESPN's Seth Walder, this trade was not one he was a big fan of. In handing out grades for this pick and player swap, the Giants received an "A" grade, while the Bengals got a lousy "D" grade for this blockbuster deal.
"I've always loved Lawrence as a player, but I am stunned by the draft capital the Bengals spent to get him," Walder writes. "The No. 10 pick - straight up!"
Lawrence has been a great defensive tackle before in his career, but there has been some regression as of late.
During the 2025 season with the Giants, Lawrence's production declined significantly, as he recorded a concerning 0.5 sacks on the year. Compared to his nine sacks the previous year, this significant drop in production is a major concern.
Cincinnati is banking on Lawrence turning things around and playing as he did from the beginning of his career through the 2024 season.
If 2025 turns out to be a mirage, and Lawrence is back to his normal production, this might not be as bad a trade.
The Bengals received a 'D' grade from ESPN analyst Seth Walder due to concerns about the value of giving up a first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence.
The Bengals traded the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants to acquire Dexter Lawrence.
The New York Giants received an 'A' grade for the trade involving Dexter Lawrence, according to ESPN.

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However, if he cannot return to such form, the Bengals could be in for some trouble. Not only would they have a player not playing up to their new big deal, but they would've lost the 10th pick to do so.
Of course, Lawrence is more of a sure thing than the options at No. 10 for the Bengals. But that doesn't change how much they spent to acquire him.
As Walder writes, "But value-wise, I don't see how the Bengals make this move. ...That's not the kind of bet I would want to make!"
This is a risky trade from the Bengals' perspective, which is why Walder gave it such a lousy grade. While the "D" grade could easily be surpassed if Lawrence returns to form, it's far from a guarantee, making this deal too risky.