NFL executives, coaches give Bengals’ Dexter Lawrence II bulletin-board material

Roughly 12 months ago, league executives, coaches and scouts surveyed by ESPN ranked Dexter Lawrence II the top overall defensive tackle in the NFL.

Lawrence then completed what became the worst statistical season of his career while with the New York Giants before he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared how Lawrence is viewed by league executives, coaches and scouts this summer. 

Dexter Lawrence II falls down the defensive tackle rankings

Lawrence, who turns 29 years old in November, dropped from first in the defensive tackle power rankings all the way to seventh on this year’s list. 

“Lawrence fell six spots, but the drop in his play isn’t that steep,” Fowler wrote. “The voting between the third and seventh spots was close. That said, Lawrence’s 0.5 sacks in 2025 were a career low, and he failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2021.”

Lawrence seemingly never fully bounced back from the elbow injury he suffered in the fall of 2024. However, his commitment to the cause was called into question last fall when he sometimes seemed to outsiders to be out of shape. 

Bengals fans receive two pieces of good news about Dexter Lawrence II

Bengals fans understandably may be concerned that Lawrence is a player in decline, but Fowler suggested that isn’t necessarily the case. 

“Lawrence faced a double-team 71.3% of the time in 2025, a league high for players with at least 300 pass-rush opportunities,” Fowler wrote. 

Additionally, one unnamed NFC scout who spoke with Fowler said that he thinks Lawrence will be “rejuvenated” with the Bengals after he played in just two playoff games with the Giants. 

“He wasn’t happy in New York,” the scout said about Lawrence. “He’s got to keep his conditioning in check, but when he’s at his best, he’s next to impossible to block.”

Those running the Bengals are hoping that a happy and rejuvenated Lawrence will help Cincinnati play in more than a single postseason game this coming January.