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Bengals' trade of first-rounder leaves team with seven NFL draft picks
TL;DR
The Cincinnati Bengals traded their 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence. This marks the first time since 1989 that the Bengals will not make a first-round pick in the draft.
Key points
- Bengals traded 10th overall pick in 2026 NFL Draft
- Acquired Dexter Lawrence from New York Giants
- First time since 1989 without a first-round pick
Cincinnati BengalsNew York GiantsDexter LawrenceNFL Draft 2026
The Cincinnati Bengals traded their first-round pick (10th overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants for three-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.
Barring another trade, the Bengals won't make a first-round pick in the draft for the first time since 1989, and just the second time in franchise history.
In 1989, the Bengals traded their first-round slot to Atlanta for the Falcons' picks in the second, fourth and 10th rounds.
"This maintains my image of being cheap," then-Bengals owner and president Paul Brown said with a laugh, per UPI's Rick Van Sant.
The Bengals had encountered issues with signing first-round picks in previous drafts.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported April 18 the Lawrence trade is the first time in the common draft era (dating back to 1966) in which the Bengals have traded a Top-10 pick for a player.
Schefter also reported via Twitter/X that it's the first time any NFL player has been traded without any additional compensation for a haul that included a Top-10 pick in that year's draft since the Minnesota Vikings traded Randy Moss to the in 2005 for a package that included the 7th overall pick in the 2005 draft.
Q&A
Why did the Bengals trade their first-round pick in 2026?
The Bengals traded their first-round pick to acquire three-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants.
When was the last time the Bengals did not have a first-round pick?
The last time the Bengals did not have a first-round pick was in 1989, making this only the second occurrence in franchise history.
What are the implications of the Bengals trading their first-round pick?
By trading their first-round pick, the Bengals are focusing on immediate roster improvement with Dexter Lawrence, but it raises concerns about their draft strategy and future player development.
