Life without Dexter Lawrence is officially a reality for the New York Giants after they traded the Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the Cincinnati Bengals in a blockbuster deal that included the Bengals' 10th overall pick in this week's NFL Draft.
Despite reports that New York was hoping to retain Lawrence and try to work out a new long-term contract, this was a deal the Giants couldn't turn down, especially since they will now hold two top-10 picks.
This trade, in fact, seems more favorable for the Giants, given that this draft has a plethora of defensive prospects. And with Big Blue now holding both the fifth and tenth overall pick, are they the clear-cut winners of this deal?
NFL Analyst gives the Giants a higher grade than the Bengals in the Dexter Lawrence deal
In an article for ESPN, NFL analyst Seth Walder gave the Giants an 'A' and the Bengals a 'D' in the Dexter Lawrence blockbuster deal, understandably so:
"I've always loved Lawrence as a player, but I am stunned by the draft capital the Bengals spent to get him," Walder wrote. "The No. 10 pick -- straight up! What's almost as shocking is that the Bengals, who rarely make trades, were the ones who pulled off the deal."
Over the past couple of seasons, Lawrence's performance, or lack thereof, makes it quite shocking that the Bengals gave away their first-round pick to the G-Men, let alone the tenth overall pick. The 28-year-old recorded just half a sack all last season and missed five games during the 2024 season after suffering a season-ending surgery. While Lawrence may have admitted that he wasn't 100% playing last year, a lack of effort was also something deemed a factor.
It goes without saying that the Bengals are taking a huge risk adding Lawrence to their roster. And with that all in mind, the Giants are clearly the winner of this trade, with that 'A' grade handed out to them by Walder.
The Bengals now have a 28-year-old defensive end whose best days look to be behind him, while the Giants can use either the fifth or tenth pick to fill the void Lawrence left.
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