The New York Giants shook up the football world by trading away Dexter Lawrence in exchange for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 draft. The move comes after a difficult 2025 season for him, leading fans to think that there was bad blood between the star defensive tackle and his former team. After all, Lawrence had never really disappointed the team before. But the now Cincinnati Bengals DT confirmed that things were quite the opposite.

“It’s no beef, it’s all love,” Lawrence told the media on April 20, after being asked about what was the biggest misconception people had about this trade. “It’s part of the business.”

Not even a week before Lawrence was traded, General Manager Joe Schoen reiterated head coach John Harbaugh’s thoughts on the DT: the Giants “would like” to keep him on the roster, and that conversations after Lawrence had requested a trade were being “productive.” He is the kind of player teams fight to keep. Now, he’s crossed state lines to suit up in different colors this season.

According to ESPN, Lawrence was hoping for a new contract from the beginning of last season. The DT was stuck in a losing team. At the same time, former teammates Saquon Barkley and Leonard Williams, after failed talks with the Giants, went on to win Super Bowls with their new teams. Lawrence finally made his intentions clear after the NFL Combine this February.

There were rumors about a breakdown of relationships between Dexter Lawrence and the Giants. Former New York great Carl Banks said on his podcast that “nobody” respected the DT in the team anymore. The latter fired back, saying that Banks was “delusional.” These comments, plus a sudden uncertainty in Lawrence’s career following his worst season so far, added more fuel to the fire.

Even though he played every single game last year (which also earned him a million dollars), Lawrence recorded only 14 solo tackles and 0.5 sacks. But the Giants’ defensive line coach, Andre Patterson, came out in strong support for Lawrence. He spoke of the fact that the DT was still one of the most double-teamed defensive linemen for the team. In fact, 2025 was the third straight year he led the team in this stat when it came to pass rushes (71%). Yet, the Giants did not retain the very anchor of their D-line.

With an opportunity to secure two elite prospects in the first round of the draft, New York sent him to Cincinnati for their 10th pick. The team needed all hands on deck to improve their dismal pass rush from last season, and thought that trading their first-round pick away was the best option for them. For Lawrence, too, it was best to move out of New York.

Dexter Lawrence’s move to Bengals was what was “right” for the DT

Lawrence said that being signed by Cincinnati had awakened a “fire” in him, and he hoped to make up for the team sacrificing their 10th pick for him. But the star player arrived at this juncture in his career because he felt it was time to move on to a new chapter, regardless of how risky it would be.

“It’s like somebody was just hanging me from a string, and because I didn’t know anything,” Lawrence said at the presser, about the process behind his trade to the Bengals. “I love the Giants, and I love the Mara family and John Harbaugh. It’s just, at a point in time, you’ve got to do what’s right for your family and yourself. And I felt like that’s what I had to do here, and I’m happy here.”

Lawrence might have been frustrated for a long time. In his seven-year-long stint with the Giants, he had only seen one winning season. He wasn’t getting the return on his contributions for the team. During their talks, however, things reportedly took a turn for the worse. The New York Post’s Paul Schwartz reported that Harbaugh had been forbidden to speak with Lawrence directly, and that his reps “did not want to deal” with Schoen.

At Cincinnati, Dexter Lawrence might get the returns he has longed for in his whole career. By getting him on board, the Bengals proved that they are not ones to shy away from going the extra mile. This is a win-win for Dexter Lawrence and Cincinnati, and maybe a win for the Giants as well.