Failed Maxx Crosby trade prompted Giants, Bengals to get Dexter Lawrence deal done early

Ideally, the Giants would have acquired the Bengals' first-round pick in exchange for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence when the pick was on the clock. That would have prevented the Giants from being potentially leapfrogged by a team that guessed right as to the player the Giants may have been eyeballing at No. 10.

That ultimately didn't happen. Yes, the Browns traded down to No. 9 and took a tackle right before the Giants picked a player at the same position. And the Giants will never admit they would have taken Spencer Fano (whom the Browns drafted) instead of Francis Mauioga.

Still, the best way to do the Dexter deal would have been to do it when the 10th pick was on the clock.

Based on conversations with multiple league sources, it's believed that the failed Maxx Crosby trade was a significant factor in getting the deal done early. As one source put it, both teams were concerned about Lawrence passing a physical. Pre-Crosby, that would have been less of a concern.

Consider the trade that sent receiver A.J. Brown from the Titans to the Eagles during the 2022 draft. The trade happened with Philly's pick on the clock, preventing the Titans from being leapfrogged by a team that may have concluded they'd use the selection to draft Brown's replacement. (The fact that receiver Treylon Burks didn't pan out doesn't matter. Plenty of players taken in round one don't pan out, even if it's become frowned upon to mention that reality, especially while the picks are being made.)

The Brown trade may not have happened that way, post-Crosby. While teams have access to the full scope of medical records (including the player's exit physical from the prior season), all trades are done pending a physical. That's what happened on Friday, with the Vikings and Eagles reaching a deal as to defensive end Jonathan Greenard and managing to keep it quiet until the physical was passed.

The stakes were much higher for Dexter Lawrence, the Bengals, and the Giants. Yes, there would have been a way to try to do it quietly, but it would have been difficult to pull it off. The decision was made to get it done and move on, even if every other team had five days to consider which player(s) the Giants were targeting at pick No. 10 — and possibly to cut the line in front of them. (Like the Eagles did in snatching receiver Makai Lemon from the Steelers on Thursday night.)