Dexter Lawrence Signs New Bengals Contract After Giants Trade, Where Money Ranks for Interior DL

The Cincinnati Bengals agreed to a new contract with star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II on Sunday after acquiring him in a trade with the New York Giants.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Lawrence signed a one-year extension worth $28 million with the Bengals that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season.

Lawrence's $28 million average salary ranks No. 2 among all interior defensive lineman in 2026, only trailing Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs (via Spotrac).

Cincinnati had just under $5 million in 2026 cap space and $200.1 million in 2028 cap space prior to the agreement (via Spotrac).

The Bengals sent the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft to the Giants in exchange for Lawrence on Saturday.

"We are excited to add Dexter to our team," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said, per the team's official website. "He has been a dominant player in the league since he was drafted, and he will be a tremendous presence on the field and in our locker room."

Duke Tobin, Cincinnati's director of player personnel, also discussed the acquisition of Lawrence.

"The opportunity to add a player of Dexter's ability was too good to pass up thanks to the commitment by Mr. Brown, Katie Blackburn, Troy Blackburn, Paul Brown and our player personnel staff," Tobin said, via the team's official website. "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."

New York initially attempted to work out an extension with Lawrence, but he requested a trade after negotiations stalled on April 6.

Now, he'll look to provide a boost to a Bengals defense that ranked No. 30 among all teams in scoring defense by allowing 28.9 points per game last season.

Lawrence has served as a key piece of the Giants' front seven throughout his career, earning three straight Pro Bowl nods and amassing 21 sacks from 2022-24. He also received two Second Team All-Pro selections over that span.

While Lawrence finished with just 0.5 sacks in 2025, he still racked up 31 tackles and eight quarterback hits to go along with four passes defended. He recorded 34 pressures as well, according to Pro Football Focus.

As the Bengals look to end a three-year playoff drought in 2026, they made a hefty financial commitment to Lawrence on Sunday.