Bengals give newly acquired Lawrence 1-year, $28M extension

The Cincinnati Bengals handed newly acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence a one-year, $28-million extension, his agency told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Lawrence is now under contract in Cincinnati for three years with an average annual salary of $23.3 million. The trade is official, as Lawrence passed his physical and the Bengals sent the 10th overall pick in the NFL draft to the New York Giants.

"The opportunity to add a player of Dexter's ability was too good to pass up," Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said in a statement.

"... Dexter fits the vision we have on our defense and will also elevate others around him. We are confident in Dexter and can't wait to see the positive effects he and the other players we have acquired this offseason have on our football team. We are excited to turn to the draft and our remaining picks to further enhance our team."

The blockbuster trade comes two weeks after Lawrence requested a trade from the Giants. Lawrence had been open to a fresh start dating back to the beginning of last year, sources told ESPN's Jordan Raanan. New York ultimately tried to mend the relationship and get a new contract done, but couldn't turn down a top-10 pick.

Lawrence ranks third in quarterback hits (70) and fourth in pressures (198) among all defensive tackles since 2022, according to TruMedia. He's earned two second-team All-Pro nominations over his seven-year career after being selected 17th overall in the 2019 draft out of Clemson.

The 28-year-old joins fellow offseason additions Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook, and Kyle Dugger as potential new defensive starters for the Bengals. Cincinnati is coming off a 2025 campaign in which its defense ranked 29th in EPA/play and 30th in points allowed.