Jaguars Avoid Mistake as Bengals Acquire Giants Star

Cincinnati trades for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, leaving Jacksonville unscathed

Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the overlapping geometric shapes and planes of a football defensive line, rendered in the team colors of teal, gold, and black to conceptually represent the Jaguars avoiding a roster move.The Jaguars avoid a potential roster misstep as the Bengals acquire a top defensive tackle from the Giants.Today in Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars have narrowly avoided a potential mistake as the Cincinnati Bengals have acquired star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants in a trade. This move leaves the Jaguars unaffected by Lawrence's departure from the NFC East.

Why it matters

The Jaguars were rumored to be interested in Lawrence, who is one of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL. His acquisition would have come at a high cost, so the Bengals' trade for him means the Jaguars can focus their resources elsewhere this offseason.

The details

The Bengals sent a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Giants in exchange for Lawrence, a 2015 first-round selection who has emerged as one of the league's premier defensive tackles over the past four seasons.

  • The trade was announced on April 19, 2026.

The players

Dexter Lawrence

A 27-year-old defensive tackle who has played his entire career with the New York Giants since being drafted in the first round in 2019.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The NFL team based in Jacksonville, Florida that competes in the AFC South division.

Cincinnati Bengals

The NFL team based in Cincinnati, Ohio that competes in the AFC North division.

New York Giants

The NFL team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey that competes in the NFC East division.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The Jaguars can now focus their offseason efforts on other areas of need without having to worry about potentially overpaying to acquire Dexter Lawrence from the Giants. This trade allows them to avoid a potential mistake and continue building their roster in a more cost-effective manner.