Subscribe to the Sharp Football Email Newsletter to receive all our 2026 NFL content:
Reports emerged in early April that Dexter Lawrence had requested a trade from the New York Giants, and the team obliged him the weekend before the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Giants sent Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
It is a massive swing for a Bengals team that simply had to get better on defense, but will Lawrence be worth the draft cost?
Pre-Order The Best Analytical 2026 Football Preview
Don't miss out on Warren Sharp's 500+ page preview of the 2026 NFL season.
The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.
This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to get you prepared for the 2026 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.
Pre-order the 2026 Football Preview now!
Dexter Lawrence Has Been Elite
While Lawrence took some flak for his level of play last year, our own Warren Sharp outlined just how elite Lawrence has been over the last three seasons.
pressures when aligned at nose tackle, since 2022:
108 – Dexter Lawrence
107
106
105
104
103
102
101
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 7, 2026
Lawrence's pressure rate slipped last season when he finished with just 0.5 sacks, but there is no question he has been as impactful a pass rusher as we have seen in recent seasons among interior linemen.
He has also had that success despite facing double team after double team.
According to Next Gen Stats, Lawrence has been double-teamed at the highest rate among defensive tackles since 2024.
The defensive attention Lawrence commands can be seen in his on-off numbers.
Dexter Lawrence 2025 only:
OFF field:
#32 YPA (8.4)
#31 sack rate (4.1%)
#27 EPA/pass (+0.13)
#26 pass success (47%)
#23 pressure rate (32%)ON field:
#7 pass success (40%)
#8 YPA (6.6)
#9 sack rate (7.7%)
#10 EPA/pass (+0.09)
#22 pressure rate (33%)https://t.co/Xbo2p6JtJe— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 6, 2026
As Warren notes, those numbers were just for the 2025 season, which was a “down” season statistically for Lawrence.
Now he joins a defense that has already added DT Jonathan Allen, EDGE Boye Mafe, and S Bryan Cook this offseason.
With Lawrence also joining, the Bengals are set up to have the most improved defense in the league in 2026.
