NFL Coaches Agree Giants Fleeced Bengals in Dexter Lawrence Trade

When the blockbuster trade that sent former New York Giants Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the 10h overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft was announced on Saturday, it took many by surprise.

The Giants were asking for a first-round pick in return for Lawrence, but most analysts likely didn't believe they would get a top-10 pick back in exchange for the 28-year-old DT.

While the trade does give the Bengals an All-Pro anchor for their defense, the reaction on social media was that Cincinnati overpaid for an aging defensive star.

SNY's Connor Hughes reported on Sunday that he spoke with several coaches around the league to get a sense of how the trade was perceived among other teams, and the consensus appeared to be the Bengals got fleeced in the deal.

"Talking to several coaches around the NFL right now … they are STUNNED the #Giants got what they did for Dexter Lawrence," Hughes posted on X. "All agree: Very good player, but not worth No. 10.

"Age, injury and concerns regarding his conditioning pointed out. Also that you need to limit the number of snaps he plays to maximize his production; really just a one position player. Needless to say: Great return for #NYG."

Lawrence is a top-five defensive tackle in the NFL, but he'll also turn 29 midway through the 2026 season and the team will owe him nearly $72 million over the next three seasons.

Had the Bengals kept the 10th pick, they could've had their pick of young defensive stars to build around including Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Miami edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr., Auburn edge-rusher Keldrick Faulk, or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.

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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 7:47 PM.