Bengals receive lousy grade for Dexter Lawrence trade from ESPN analyst

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.

Bengals get 'D' grade for Dexter Lawrence trade

"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.