Bengals trade for Dexter Lawrence might be 'precursor' to more draft trades

Bengals trade for Dexter Lawrence might be 'precursor' to more draft trades originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals stunned the NFL world with their blockbuster trade with the New York Giants, sending the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

It was a bold move, and a very uncharacteristic one for the Bengals. But, Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor might not be done swinging aggressive moves in this year's draft.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Bengals are reportedly looking to make more trades in the 2026 NFL Draft, as the Lawrence deal might only be the beginning.

Bengals might swing more trades in 2026 NFL Draft

"I'd also tell you not to be surprised if the Dexter Lawrence II trade winds up being a precursor to the Bengals being more aggressive moving around the board this weekend," Breer writes.

This is a fascinating rumor from Breer, as it could feature the Bengals swinging more draft trades, despite the franchise typically avoiding such deals.

As Breer noted, the Bengals have been one of the most conservative teams in the trade market, "... it's actually now been three years since they last did a deal to move up or down at any point in the draft," Breer writes.

Cincinnati doesn't typically make trades on draft day, but this year might be a good bit different. If they're panning to shake things up, the Bengals have the picks to do so.

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