Bengals Player Profile: Dexter Lawrence has been everything Cincinnati has desired and more
Dexter Lawrence is practicing like the best player on the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s been completely locked in, relishing a new environment with a chance to actually be a part of success.
We’re six days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Cincinnati has its penultimate preseason contest tonight against the Chicago Bears, and the Bengals’ 90-man roster won’t look like it does now for long. Check out previous player profiles here.
The next name on the countdown has been the talk of the town for the last four months.
Dexter Lawrence II Player Profile
Age: 28
Year: 8th
Position: Defensive tackle
College: Clemson
Jersey Number: 97
Dexter Lawrence II was originally selected No. 17 overall in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Prior to the NFL, Lawrence spent three seasons (2016-18) at Clemson, and started 36 of the 40 games he played for the Tigers. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC player, and helped the program win two College Football Playoff National Championships in ’16 and ’18.
New York immediately started Lawrence as a rookie and he proved to be a solid starter after three years. It was his fourth season in 2022 when he made the leap into elite status. He posted a career-high 70 pressures and Pro Football Focus’ highest pass rush grade (92.2) that year, making his first Pro Bowl in the process. The Giants extended him the following offseason and Lawrence stayed on top of the game for defensive tackles. He made another Pro Bowl and finished in the top-10 for Defensive Player of the Year voting. He missed the final five games of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, but was still dominant enough for a third consecutive Pro Bowl nod.
Lawrence played a full year in 2025 but experienced a drop off in volume production including a career-low 0.5 sacks. His season average is 4.4. He still managed the fifth-highest pass rush grade and sixth-highest pass rush win rate for starting interior linemen. Following the season, Lawrence requested a trade as N.Y. entered a new regime under John Harbaugh. Cincinnati shocked the NFL landscape by landing him in a blockbuster deal that sent the No. 10 pick in the 2026 draft to the Giants a mere five days before the draft began.
Contract details
The Bengals extended Lawrence’s contract following the trade. It’s a one-year, $28 million deal that adds on to the two years and $42 million he was still scheduled to earn from his 2023 extension. His total contract with Cincy is essentially a three-year, $70 million deal. His base salary for 2026 is $11,000,000, and he’s already earned a $10 million roster bonus. He can earn an additional $1,000,000 in per game roster bonuses throughout the season, bringing his total cash earnings for the year to $22,000,000. Due to his roster bonus being prorated over the next three years, his salary cap hit for the season is $15,333,333.
Roster outlook
Lawrence was viewed as the game’s top interior disruptor just a year ago. After a relatively down year and requesting out from a team that had one winning season with him on the roster, the perception of the 28-year-old has dwindled. This made it all the more surprising to talking heads when the Bengals gave up a top-10 pick to get him.
Cincinnati is not experiencing any buyer’s remorse whatsoever.
Lawrence has been the best player in Bengals training camp. He recently made life miserable for the Chicago Bears during a joint practice. He’s been completely locked in, relishing a new environment with a chance to actually be a part of success.
He’s the new centerpiece of a defense that so desperately needed one. If camp has any predictive power, he’ll be a dominant player once again.
Roster odds: 100%
