Bengals Make Rare Top-10 Pick Trade for Dexter Lawrence

Cincinnati sends 10th overall pick to Giants for veteran defensive tackle, joining elite company of Randy Moss and Russell Wilson trades.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 3:50pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a defensive lineman making a tackle, with sharp geometric shapes in deep orange, forest green, and steel blue overlapping to create a dynamic, multi-angled visual representation of the play.The Bengals' bold trade for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence shatters the typical NFL draft pick exchange, joining an elite club of top-10 pick-for-veteran deals.Cincinnati Today

The Cincinnati Bengals have stunned the NFL by trading their 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft to the New York Giants in exchange for veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. This type of trade, where a team sends a top-10 pick for an established player, is incredibly rare in the modern NFL, with only two other examples since 2000 - the Randy Moss trade in 2005 and the Russell Wilson trade in 2022.

Why it matters

The Bengals' decision to part with a high first-round pick for Lawrence is a bold move that signals their intent to win now. While defensive tackle is typically a less valued position than quarterback or wide receiver, Lawrence's All-Pro pedigree and the Bengals' assessment of the 2026 draft class likely factored into their willingness to make this trade.

The details

The Bengals sent the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Giants in exchange for Lawrence, a 28-year-old defensive tackle who has made the Pro Bowl three times and the All-Pro team twice. This type of trade, where a team gives up a top-10 selection for an established veteran player, is incredibly rare, with only two other examples in the last 25 years - the Vikings trading the 7th overall pick to the Raiders for Randy Moss in 2005, and the Seahawks trading the 9th overall pick to the Broncos as part of the Russell Wilson deal in 2022.

  • The Bengals made the trade on April 19, 2026.

The players

Dexter Lawrence

A 28-year-old defensive tackle who has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times and the All-Pro team twice during his career with the New York Giants.

Randy Moss

A Hall of Fame wide receiver who was traded from the Vikings to the Raiders in 2005 in exchange for the 7th overall pick.

Russell Wilson

A Super Bowl-winning quarterback who was traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos in 2022 in a deal that included the 9th overall pick.

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What they’re saying

“We've seen a grand total of two veterans traded for first-round picks that were already guaranteed to be in the top 10 since 2000. One was Randy Moss, who was dealt as part of a deal for the seventh pick in 2005. The other was Russell Wilson, who was shipped to the Broncos for a package that included the ninth selection in 2022.”

— Bill Barnwell, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

The Bengals will look to integrate Lawrence into their defensive line as they aim to make another deep playoff run in the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The Bengals' bold trade for Dexter Lawrence, surrendering a top-10 pick for an established veteran, is an extremely rare move in the modern NFL. This deal puts Cincinnati in elite company alongside the Vikings' trade for Randy Moss and the Seahawks' trade of Russell Wilson, underscoring the Bengals' win-now mentality as they seek defensive upgrades to complement their potent offense.