Bengals, Zac Taylor Buzzing With Excitement After Dexter Lawrence Blockbuster

Newly signed Cincinnati Bengals defense tackle Dexter Lawrence speaks in a press conference for the first time since joining the team at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Monday, April 20, 2026. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bengals, Zac Taylor Buzzing With Excitement After Dexter Lawrence Blockbuster

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Apr 20, 2026 3:04 PM ET

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The Cincinnati Bengals needed to make a big move this offseason, as their free agency additions were good, but not great. They certainly weren't enough to take one of the worst defenses in the league and make it into a productive unit.

But on Saturday, they made the blockbuster move to acquire Dexter Lawrence in exchange for the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This move instantly elevates the Bengals' defense to a new level. After losing Trey Hendrickson in free agency, the Bengals have found their new superstar on the defensive line.

And the entire city and locker room are buzzing with excitement after the deal.

Zac Taylor Fired Up To Have Dexter Lawrence In Cincinnati

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Not just for me, for our locker room, our organization, our fan base," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said about the Lawrence trade when talking to the media on Monday. "Everybody's been on board with this decision. Really credit upstairs to ownership in the front office for getting this done. This is not an easy thing to forego with a 10th pick in the draft. But for a player of this caliber, we're excited that we did it.

"He's excited to be here. Everyone's excited to have him. It's a tremendous addition. Like I said yesterday in my quote, just on and off the field, Just being around him for 24 hours, his presence elevates everybody. And again, a lot of credit to a lot of people upstairs for getting this done. And this coaching staff were really excited."

Lawrence is as dominant a nose tackle as the NFL has seen since he was drafted in 2019. It's easy to find a run stuffer at defensive tackle. It's hard to find a pass rusher at the position. It's practically impossible to find a player who can wreck the game while playing nose tackle. Lawrence is exactly what the Bengals needed in the middle of their defensive line.

Adding a player like Lawrence to the defense should elevate the entire defense. The linebacker room struggled last year, but with Lawrence plugging up the middle, the linebacker room should receive a boost.

The city is excited. Taylor is excited. All of the fans should be excited, too.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Bengals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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