Bengals executive reveals the final ingredient behind making the Dexter Lawrence trade work for both sides

Trading for Dexter Lawrence was a convoluted process for the Cincinnati Bengals. Thankfully, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle had a legitimate desire to play in the Queen City.

Several boxes had to be checked for the Cincinnati Bengals to trade for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants.

Lawrence wanting to sign an extension with Cincinnati was quite important. For that to be a thing, his wanting to be in Cincinnati in the first place needed to exist.

It turned out to be the final checked box to make the most shocking move in Bengals history.

The final ingredient to making the Dexter Lawrence trade a reality

So many NFL trades fall through without anyone knowing because the logistics don’t work out. If the acquiring team cannot reach a new contract with the incoming player, then blockbuster deals don’t get to the finish line.

Cincinnati needed to know it could sign Lawrence to a new contract after agreeing to terms with the Giants. Lawrence’s agent, Joel Segal, made it clear to Bengals assistant general manager Steven Radicevic the 28-year old was very much on board with moving from the Big Apple to the Queen City.

“He felt like this was a place where Dexter wanted to be, especially with the relationship with the players he has in the locker room,” Radicevic told The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. “He wanted a change of scenery and we wanted to add him. He understood where we were in terms of cap.”

Dexter Lawrence Stats & Facts

The new centerpiece of the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense is a 6-5, 350 pound beast at defensive tackle.

• Lawrence was drafted No. 17 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He made his first of three Pro Bowls in 2022.
• New York signed Lawrence to a four-year, $87.5 million extension in 2023. He was a Pro Bowler in each of the following two seasons.
• Lawrence requested a trade on April 6, leading to the Bengals trading a first-round pick for him on April 18. The deal was finalized on April 19.

Dexter Lawrence’s contract was key for the Bengals

Lawrence’s willingness to be traded to Cincinnati hinged on connections with former teammates B.J. Hill and Tee Higgins, as well as a desire to play with Joe Burrow. His understanding of how the Bengals handle contracts is what really got the deal finalized.

Cincinnati was in a good spot with its salary cap, but Lawrence’s existing cap hit at the time of the trade was going to use up all of the remaining space. His one-year, $28 million extension gave him $10 million at signing and reduced his cap hit by a few million in the process.

Both sides got what they needed.

There’s never been a Bengals trade quite like this. Lawrence’s willingness to land and sign with Cincy were the final ingredients to make it happen.