The Cincinnati Bengals traded away Pick No. 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft in the surprise move of the decade (for their front office) to the New York Giants in exchange for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.
I say “nose tackle” like he’s just some guy. He’s not. He’s the best nose tackle in the league, and the best pass rusher from the position by more than a lot. His presence will completely reshape the defense, opening things up for the guys next to him and behind him.
Think about how it was when DJ Reader
was soaking up blockers in front of Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. It’ll be like that, but on crack. Lawrence’s unique ability to push the pocket, even while being double-teamed, will free things up for the rest of the defensive line, the linebackers, and the secondary. It’s trickle-down defense-nomics.
Having said all that, it’s human nature to see the grass as greener somewhere else. Hope of “something better” has driven mankind’s expansion across the planet, and it will lead to our eventual colonization of the universe as its rightful overlords in an Imperium of Mankind.
But, you know, it also drives us to think about what could have been had things worked out differently in the draft.
So…. here’s some guys who would have been available to the Bengals with the No. 10 overall pick had they not traded their pick away:
- Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs
- Miami (FL) Edge Rueben Bain Jr.
- Oregon Tight End Kenyon Sadiq
- Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
- Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy
- Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman
Safety
Downs is the big name here, but there are many who think Thieneman is just as good. The Bengals did poach Bryan Cook away from the Chiefs in free agency, and they also grabbed Kyle Dugger to add to a room with Jordan Battle. They addressed the position in free agency, including a big swing with Cook, but adding Downs, who also has some slot versatility, could have been a great thing for the secondary.
JG Verdict: Lawrence > Downs
Edge
The Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency, but they did bring in Boye Mafe, fresh off his Super Bowl-winning season with the Seahawks. He’s younger and not as established, but there’s hope he can come into his own under Al Golden in a similar way Hendrickson did under Lou Anarumo when he came to Cincinnati in 2021.
Bain was a monster for the Hurricanes. His arms were deemed short at the Combine, but that didn’t stop him from terrorizing the ACC on his way to the Ted Hendricks Award, his second ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, and he was named a Consensus All-American.
Could he have jumped into the lineup and created an immediate impact?
Maybe.
Do we know that, though?
No.
JG Verdict: Lawrence > Bain
Cornerback
The Kansas City Chiefs jumped up in the draft to grab LSU cornerback Monsoor Delane, but Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy was available. He’s an incredible athlete, and, like DJ Turner, he can fly. The big knock on him is that he didn’t play in the 2025 season after he suffered an ACL tear in an offseason workout a little over a year ago.
He did run an amazing 4.38 at his Pro Day, but concerns about his injury persist.
JG Verdict: Lawrence > McCoy
Offensive Tackle
I’m not crazy. Yes, the Bengals need help on the defense—even after the trade for Lawrence, I expect them to use most of their picks on that side of the ball—but the team’s current offensive line backup plan is called “Cody Ford.” If there’s any major injury at any position along the line, the whole offense could suffer.
The Bengals could have grabbed a guy like Freeling at No. 10. The Giants, who had the Bengals’ No. 10 overall pick, actually used it on offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. It wouldn’t have been a sexy pick, but it would have been understandable.
In a perfect world, though, the best backup offensive lineman on the team doesn’t step foot on the field outside of special teams situations. Lawrence will do way more.
JG Verdict: Lawrence > OT
Tight End
Here’s a wild pick. If the Bengals decided to ignore the entire defense and the depth on the offensive line to grab this year’s best tight end, it would (rightfully) draw the ire of the entire fan base. BUT, there’s no doubt that Sadiq would fit into Joe Burrow’s offense like tiger stripes in the jungle.
The Bengals do have Mike Gesicki, but he’s almost more of a slot receiver than tradition tight end, and the drop off between him and the next two guys on the roster—Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson—is pretty drastic. Erick All Jr. is on the roster, but his health and ability to stay healthy are big questions.
Would it be fun to see Sadiq work with Burrow? Yes.
Still.
JG Verdict: Lawrence > Sadiq
The Bengals ignored the linebacker position in free agency, and before they traded for Lawrence, it seemed, at least to me, like the biggest mistake of the offseason. I still wish they would have grabbed a veteran to help lead the group, and I still think they should as soon as the draft is over. Cornerback is another position they should have addressed (and still should).
Styles, the best linebacker in this year’s draft class, was off the board. If they are worried about McCoy’s knee (and some teams seem to be worried), and they liked Delane, he was snagged by the Chiefs, who traded up to make sure they got him.
Obviously, they thought things could go that way, which is why they pulled the trigger on the trade.
Only time will tell if they were right, but I think it’s always going to be better to get an established star than a projected star. At least they already know what they’re paying for, even if it’s a lot more expensive than the No. 10 overall pick would have been.
So? What do you think?
Seeing how things played out, do you love the trade more or like it less?
Sound off!
