The Cincinnati Bengals acquired defensive lineman and three-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence from the Giants in a blockbuster trade that sends the Bengals’ 2026 NFL Draft first-round pick (10th overall) to New York.
Nicknamed “Sexy Dexy,” Lawrence and the Giants had reached an impasse in negotiations about a contract extension.
Trade rumors about Lawrence started earlier in the month, when Lawrence reportedly requested a trade. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported April 7 that Giants head coach John Harbaugh responded to Lawrence’s trade request by saying, “I’m not surprised by it. We’ll try to work through it.”
Lawrence has played in 109 regular-season games and two postseason games over seven NFL seasons with the Giants, making 102 starts.
According to pro-football-reference.com, he has 30.5 career sacks, 40 TFLs and 103 quarterback hits.
In 2023, Lawrence signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the Giants. In 2024, he recorded career-bests in sacks with nine and tackles for loss with eight before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.
What to know about Lawrence:
Lawrence and Tee Higgins were Clemson teammates for two seasons.
Lawrence and Higgins played together at Clemson in 2017 and 2018, when the Tigers defeated Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.
When Higgins caught a Pro Bowl Games touchdown pass in February from Bengals and AFC teammate Joe Flacco, Higgins celebrated with the “Sexy Dexy” dance for which Lawrence is known.
Higgins’ Twitter/X reaction to news of the Lawrence trade included video of the dance, with the caption, “A lot of this in the jungle huh.”
Bengals defensive lineman BJ Hill and Lawrence were teammates with the Giants for two seasons.
In August 2021, Hill was traded to the Bengals for offensive lineman Billy Price, a first-round pick of the Bengals in 2018.
Hill, who has played in 81 games over the past five seasons for the Bengals, tweeted a shushing face emoji earlier in April, leaving fans on social media speculating about a trade for Lawrence that would reunite the pair.
About two hours before the Lawrence trade was announced, Hill tweeted a smiling face with horns.
Some wanted the Bengals to select Lawrence in the first round of the 2019 draft.
With defensive tackle considered among several needs for Cincinnati entering the 2019 draft, the Bengals selected offensive tackle Jonah Williams 11th overall.
The Giants took Lawrence six picks later, at No. 17.
Only five players from the 2019 draft – DE Nick Bosa, DE Maxx Crosby, DT Quinnen Williams, G Chris Lindstrom and DT Jeffery Simmons – have been named to more Pro Bowls than Lawrence.
Lawrence wore No. 97 with the Giants, Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart’s jersey number.
Will Lawrence ask Stewart for the No. 97 jersey?
Stewart, the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2025, wore it his rookie season.
It’s the only number Lawrence has worn throughout his seven NFL seasons.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Dexter Lawrence is Bengals’ new D-lineman. 5 things about ‘Sexy Dexy’
Reporting by Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
