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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor shared what surprised him about his first impression of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

In one of the biggest splashes of the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals sent their No. 10 overall pick for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. This, ahead of what is a vital year for the Bengals, should be a boost to the defensive line that head coach Zac Taylor needs.

Taylor and the Bengals knew they were getting a stud player in Lawrence. However, as Taylor recently shared, what surprised him the most and left the largest impact was just how quickly Lawrence looked to ingratiate himself with the team and community.

“I was shocked that he was here every day right after we traded for him,” Taylor said. “He just chose to jump right in and not miss a day. I think that just shows – I hate to speak for him – the excitement that he has to be here.”

One great example of this came in early May. That’s when Lawrence attended Myles Murphy’s Gears & Grills Auto Showcase on Saturday at St. Xavier High School. The proceeds of the event went to the Myles Murphy Foundation, which is a non-profit that serves both families and the youth in the cities of Cincinnati and Atlanta. Afterward, Murphy was extremely appreciative of Lawrence.

“It means a lot,” Murphy said. “I really respect him for just showing up and being here… He was over here for over an hour. The more teammates can hang out outside of the locker room, it means a lot. It just brings us closer together.”

To some, those little moments may not seem like a lot, but a coach like Taylor loves to see them. They’re opportunities to come together and become a better team, and Lawrence is taking full advantage of them.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Excited About Dexter Lawrence Addition

Zac Taylor isn’t the only one excited about adding Dexter Lawrence. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has also been very open about the trade, praising it, as well as other moves the Bengals made this offseason.

There has seemingly been some tension this offseason, as the Bengals have struggled in recent seasons, and there has been public speculation that Burrow is unhappy. With that in mind, improving the roster in a way he publicly approves of is massive.

“I’m really excited about the moves we made this offseason,” Burrow said. “We need to get better, so it was exciting to see the initiative from everybody in the organization to realize that we’re in this exciting stage. We’re in our primes playing great football. Finding guys like Dexter and Bryan Cook … to, you know, really solidify that defense so the young guys can also kind of rise up. We’re really going to try to achieve what we want to achieve.”

Big offseason moves don’t inherently equate to wins on the field. However, it does seem like the Bengals are moving in the right direction.

It’s a Big Year for Zac Taylor, Bengals

It’s a big year for the Cincinnati Bengals, to say the least. All three other AFC North teams made coaching changes and have some questions going into next season. Because of that, the Bengals have become a popular pick to win the division and make a playoff run.

This comes at a time when Zac Taylor has seen his team struggle. For three straight seasons, Cincinnati has missed the playoffs. During that time, they have a 24-27 record. That lack of success, paired with high expectations, puts Taylor on the hot seat immediately if something goes wrong.

Add to that the constant rumors surrounding Joe Burrow and his potential frustrations with the team, or potential desire to leave, and winning feels almost mandatory. That’s why so much emphasis was put on this offseason and why the Bengals felt the need to make moves, like adding Dexter Lawrence.