2026 FA Thread | S Bryan Cook 3/40m | DE Boye Mafe 3/60m | DT Jonathan Allen 2/28m | QB Josh Johnson 1/1m | S Kyle Dugger 1/?m | DT Dexter Lawrence 3/70m

[Stripes]

ALL IN! It’s real!

[COB]

Great, and I can’t emphasize the word enough, great move by the bengals.  Dude is a player.  

[Stripes]

FUCK THEM PICKS

[ArmyBengal]

Yeah I think it’s the right move and happy to see them make a move of that nature knowing time is ticking on Burrow and company.

Don’t like giving up #10 but I really love Dexter !!

[ArmyBengal]

If Mafe is really what they think he is, they just completely remade the defense this offseason with Mafe, Lawrence and Cook.

[COB]

Spotrac projects 3 year, $82 million contract for Dexter.  If we can get that, with maybe an option year, I’d take it.  

[Stripes]

Linebacker still sucks, but the D may be comfortably above average at the DL and secondary 

[ArmyBengal]

Think about it like this…

It would have taken 2 firsts to get Crosby and the Cowboys gave up a 2nd and next year’s first for Williams.

We got Dexter for a single pick. While it’s #10, it’s one pick and how many times have we said all the people we really want could be gone?

I’m good. Let’s fucking go !!

[Stripes]

I'm very good with it. This is how you go for the Lombardi. They're trying to get to the only goal that matters.

A bunch of media yappers are going to say it was an overpay, and they can taste my salty nuts in their mouths.

[ArmyBengal]

21 minutes ago, Stripes said:

Linebacker still sucks, but the D may be comfortably above average at the DL and secondary 

Jacob Rodriguez “could” get to them in the 2nd and I would be fucking stoked with that pick at this point.

[Stripes]

1 minute ago, ArmyBengal said:

Jacob Rodriguez “could” get to them in the 2nd and I would be fucking stoked with that pick at this point.

Absolutely. I wouldn't even hate a small reach for Golday.

[ArmyBengal]

Yeah I don’t give a fuck. They finally acknowledged a weakness and didn’t just do patch work trying to solve it. They made a bold move and brought in arguably the best DT in the game.

Dexter was ranked the 17th best player in the whole fucking league by the players last year.

[ArmyBengal]

Toss in old man Allen and that DT rotation is pretty fucking stout.

Considering the young guys in that room, maybe there’s another move to be made since their time is likely to be lessened with this move.

[Stripes]

Legitimately. I give my solemn vow:

If this trade goes awry for whatever reason, I will not blame the Bengals, and I will not complain about the decision. This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted. I understand that it's a risk, and that means it can backfire. But I wanted that risk.

[ArmyBengal]

https://youtu.be/s-FI-1suWQU?si=teRR7eR065OQk1Yy

 

[ArmyBengal]

With the money he’s going to make, he can pay Shemar to get #97 from him and do the legacy of Geno right !!

[volcom69]

Hot damn what a crazy move, not sure since being a fan, since being here on this forum have I seen a trade like this before. 
 

Sure I hate to see the number 10 pick go, but not like they have drafted great in recent years, so why not get someone who could be better than the first round pick. 
 

Now can’t wait to see where they go with this second round pick, LB or CB. 

[ArmyBengal]

 

[ArmyBengal]

Great look…

https://x.com/SharpFootball/status/2041517645036433411?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^2041517645036433411|twgr^aa082676f758b0e9ee3efef02ff5debd7ca2a1ea|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2Fcincinnati-bengals-news%2F189807%2Fdexter-lawrence-twitter-reactions-social-media-ny-giants

 

[glasgowbengal]

Just woke up to this news and had to check it wasn’t April 1st - WTAF 

[HoosierCat]

Hate it. Fuck this team.

[ArmyBengal]

I get it Hoosier.

[HoosierCat]

I know I should be excited. Even if all they get going forward is 2025 Lawrence, that will still be better than anyone else we’ve got. But this move just emphasizes the massive cost of their decision to let Reader walk two years ago.

$26 million for Rankins (total fail), $15 million for Slaton (meh), now $30 million-plus AAV for Lawrence. After that deal it will likely be $100 million-plus in DT FA contracts because $27 million was too much for a 29-year-old Reader.

Oh, btw Lawrence will turn 29 in November.

And then there’s the draft picks. A top 10 first. A second (Jenkins, bust). A fourth (McKinnley, bust).

No team in the league pisses away resources like Cincy.

Anyhow, welcome to the circus, Dexter.

ETA Bengals add 1 year and $28 million to his existing contract, which has 2 years and $42 million left.

[ArmyBengal]

As I previously mentioned, I would have preferred they waited until they were on the clock and were able to see who was there. Then again, maybe the Giants didn’t want to wait. Maybe the Bengals really wanted him and were concerned another team would have swooped in.

I don’t know really but won’t fault the team for making this move at this point. Yes, agree 100%, they can’t draft for shit and have made poor free agent decisions.

We don’t have to look any further than Jessie Bates to see how they seemingly fuck up every decision along the way. 

We just added the best NT in the league and it’s not even close. I’m ok and will simply look forward to the 2nd round.

[HoosierCat]

At least the money was reasonable. Lawrence was clearly more about getting out of New York than breaking the bank. 

That $28 million they gave Lawrence is — not coincidentally, I’m sure — about what the 10th pick is slated to get.

So basically the FO mugged that fat bastard Rookie Pool to get Dexter. There’s a silver lining.