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The Bengals are showing commitment to winning by making significant player signings, including Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook, which addresses their defensive weaknesses. This shift indicates a serious approach to competing in the league.
I owe Duke Tobin an apology.
Not a soft or hedged one. A real one.
All offseason, the Bengalsā director of player personnel kept saying the team was "all in." I didnāt buy it. Iāve been a Bengals fan too long to take that phrase at face value. Around here, "all in" has often meant just aggressive enough to stay respectable.
To their credit, the Bengals started fast. Signing Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook addressed real needs on a defense that, frankly, embarrassed itself at times last season. But then the noise died down. No splash. No statement.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens acted like contenders do ā chasing Maxx Crosby and then landing Trey Hendrickson, twisting the knife on a division rival.
I said the Bengals hadnāt done enough. I said they lacked urgency. I said I wasnāt convinced.
I was wrong.
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence addresses the media April 20, 2026, at Paycor Stadium for the first time since becoming a Cincinnati Bengal.
When news broke that the Bengals traded the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for , my first reaction wasnāt analysis. It was disbelief.
The Bengals signed Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook to address their defensive needs.
While the Bengals made key signings, the Ravens have been more aggressive, pursuing and acquiring players like Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson.
'All in' signifies the Bengals' commitment to making significant moves to enhance their competitiveness in the league.
Historically, the Bengals have been cautious in their approach, but this offseason's signings reflect a more aggressive and serious strategy.

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The Bengals donāt do this. They donāt trade premium draft capital for established stars. They donāt make "sexy" moves (pun definitely intended). They donāt shock people.
And yet, here we are.
You can argue the price. Plenty already have. A 28-year-old defensive tackle coming off a down year ā half a sack ā for a top-10 pick? Thatās the kind of deal that gets dissected, criticized, and second-guessed before the ink dries.
Thatās fine. Let the analysts analyze. Iām talking as a fan. And as a fan, I love it.
This move isnāt about 2028. Itās about right now.
Itās about understanding that Joe Burrow is in his prime ā and primes donāt last forever unless you're Tom Brady. The Bengals have flirted with greatness in this era, but flirting doesnāt win Super Bowls. Commitment does.
Trading that pick says something this franchise hasnāt always said loudly enough: We are not waiting. We are not developing. We are not satisfied.
We are going for it.
And just as importantly, it sends a message to Burrow and Bengals fans: we see you, we value this window, and weāre willing to take risks to maximize it.
That matters.
Just as importantly, this move should finally put to bed the overused narrative that the Bengals are cheap. Maybe that label was fair before, but not anymore. Not after extending Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with massive deals, and now adding Lawrence in a move that pushes the Bengals' chips to the center of the table.
Letās not overcomplicate it. The Bengalsā defense last season had a glaring problem: the middle.
Running backs didnāt just find holes ā they found highways. Remember how the hapless New York Jets ran for 254 yards on 37 carries in one of the Bengals' most embarrassing losses last season? The defensive front was moved, pushed, and, at times, bullied.
Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler, changes that immediately.
Heās a game-wrecking monster. A grown man in the middle of the line who commands attention and double teams, whether the stat sheet shows it or not. And if what he says is true ā that thereās a fire in him now heās never felt before ā then the AFC North and the rest of the NFL better take notice.
Because a motivated Lawrence is a problem.
He makes everyone better. Myles Murphy. Shamar Stewart. Young linebackers like Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. Even veterans like Jonathan Allen could benefit from the chaos Lawrence creates.
This isnāt just a player acquisition. Itās a tone shift.
Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown pictured July 21, 2025, at the team's annual media luncheon at Paycor Stadium.
Iāve never cared much for what national pundits think about Cincinnati. Too often, they donāt watch closely enough to understand what this team is ā or what it isnāt. What I do pay attention to is the locker room. And by all accounts, the players are energized by this move.
That tells me everything.
Players know. They understand the difference between potential and production, between projection and presence. They know what a guy like Dexter Lawrence brings on Sunday.
And they know what this trade signals: The front office is matching their urgency.
Will this work long term? I donāt know.
Maybe the Bengals miss out on a future star at No. 10. Maybe Lawrence never fully returns to peak form. Maybe this gamble doesnāt end with a Lombardi Trophy.
But hereās the truth: I donāt care. Because for once, the Bengals are acting like a team that refuses to sit still. As I heard someone say, they are throwing caution into a hurricane.
And as someone whoās lived and died with this franchise since childhood, I can tell you ā that feeling? Itās rare. Itās different. Itās hope that the Bengals front office might finally be changing its stripes.
The job isnāt finished, though.
This roster still needs help at linebacker. At cornerback. Along the offensive line. Maybe even another pass rusher to truly transform the defense into not just middle of the road, but a strength.
But if those moves come ā if this is just the beginning ā then we might be looking at one of the most consequential Bengals offseasons in years.
Director of player personnel Duke Tobin of the Cincinnati Bengals
So yes, Duke Tobin, this oneās for you.
You said you were all in. I didnāt believe you. Now I do.
And I have a feeling a lot of Bengals fans are right there with me.
The Cincinnati Enquirerās Kevin Aldridge and Cincinnati Public Radioās Lucy May stand in the WVXU Studio in Cincinnati on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Opinion and Engagement Editor Kevin S. Aldridge is a diehard Bengals fan and can be reached at kaldridge@enquirer.com. On X: @kevaldrid.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Bengals swing big with Dexter Lawrence deal. I'm sold | Opinion