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The Cincinnati Bengals received pushback on a team's major decision

This offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals did not follow their typical status quo. Instead, they were aggressive. 

No move the Bengals did was more aggressive than trading away their 2026 first-round selection, which would have been their highest draft pick since the 2021 NFL Draft, and acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who was coming off a down season.

The move was met with surprise around the league, as the Bengals are not known for blockbuster trades such as that one was. However, with their defensive issues in 2025, many understood why the team would be inclined to make such a move. Unfortunately, one NFL analyst does not seem to agree.

Cincinnati Bengals Get Pushback for Dexter Lawrence Trade

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell listed what he felt was the best and worst move of the offseason by every AFC team. Regarding Cincinnati’s worst move, he chose the biggest move the team made, by trading for Dexter Lawrence.

Barnwell wrote:

“I’m still blown away that a team traded a known top-10 pick for a veteran for only the third time in the past 25 years, after the Raiders did it for Randy Moss and the Broncos did it for Russell Wilson.

The Bengals didn’t have to do as much financially to appease Lawrence as I would have expected at the time of the deal, which helps. And if they get the version of Lawrence they’re hoping for — an elite nose tackle who can control two gaps and get after the passer more than the vast majority of 0-technique linemen — they’ll be happy with the trade. But I’m nervous that Lawrence is coming off his worst season as a pro as part of a defense that was dismal against the run in New York. And though that can partially be chalked up to an elbow injury, Lawrence’s 2024 season was ended by that same elbow issue.

Given how much they’re spending on their big three on offense (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins) and a handful of other players (Cook, Boye Mafe, Orlando Brown Jr. and breakout cornerback DJ Turner II when he signs an extension), the Bengals need cost-controlled talent to make their roster construction work. Giving up the No. 10 pick to get a proven quantity like Lawrence feels like a win for Bengals fans who are sick of seeing the team whiff on first-round picks. But is it enough to propel the Bengals forward into Super Bowl contention? And if Lawrence isn’t as known of a quantity as it seems, this deal could be disastrous for Cincinnati.”

Dexter Lawrence Thinking

Of course, Barnwell might very well be wrong and the trade could be just what the Bengals needed to make their way back into postseason contention. 

Regarding why he disagrees with Barnwell, NFL analyst Marcus Mosher wrote for Strype Hype:

“It’s true that the Bengals did give up a lot for Lawrence, but it’s not hard to understand their logic. Cincinnati desperately needed defensive help in this draft and there was no guarantee that an impact defender would be available at the spot.

It’s also known that the Bengals wanted to upgrade their defensive tackle position and this was a very weak defensive tackle class. And that’s why they considered Peter Woods at No. 10 before making the trade. It’s very unlikely that Woods will have a better career than Lawrence, and it’s extremely unlikely that he will outperform him in 2026 and 2027, the two years in which the Bengals need the defensive tackle help the most.”