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The Cincinnati Bengals swung a massive trade with the New York Giants less than a week before the 2026 NFL Draft. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the Bengals are trading for Dexter Lawrence.
In an uncharacteristic move, the Bengals sent the 10th overall pick to the Giants for Lawrence to be their new defensive tackle. It's a steep price to pay, as the Bengals are parting with a top-10 pick for a DT who's set to receive an extension in this deal too.
After trading the 10th pick for Lawrence, the Bengals' first selection in the upcoming draft is at 41st overall. With that selection, there are still some very interesting prospects the Bengals could draft to help round out the defense alongside Lawrence.
Bengals 2nd round options after Dexter Lawrence trade
With defense still the priority, the only thing that this trade can cross off is the need for interior defensive line help. Between Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, the interior is set. So the secondary, edge, and linebacker are all in play still. Here are some of the best options:
Cornerback: 4
1. Colton Hood, Tennessee: While he might not be likely to make it here with some first-round buzz recently, he'd be an incredible pick at this spot. The 21-year-old had a pick-six last year and has a very high ceiling coming into the NFL.
2. Chris Johnson, San Diego State: He would be a solid CB option as well. He's 21 years old and had four interceptions this past year. While he's had some buzz lately, there is a chance he could be on the board for the Bengals at 41.
3. Brandon Cisse, South Carolina: Cisse is another fun option for the Bengals at 41. He's only 20 years old and had a pick-six this past season. He has a decent chance of making it here.
4. D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana: Ponds is a very unique player. At 21 years old, Ponds is 5-foot-9, 173 pounds. A smaller CB comes with some risk, but he's a great player who had two interceptions this past season, and would be very fun
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Edge Rusher: 7
1. Keldric Faulk, Auburn: Faulk is highly unlikely to make it here to No. 41, but if he did, he's a developmental option to work behind Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy.
2. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M: Coming off a 12-sack season, the 23-year-old edge would be a better productive player who could slip down the board to 41 overall.
3. T.J. Parker, Clemson: Parker had six sacks this past season and 12 the year before. He's 21 years old and is someone who can both rush the passer and defend the run.
4. Zion Young, Missouri: The 22-year-old edge is coming off eight sacks this past season, and while he might not be the best edge in this class, he'd be a solid option at 41.
5. R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma: Thomas is 6-foot-2, 249 pounds. That's on the smaller side of things for an edge rusher. But, he's a productive pass rusher, coming off six sacks in 2025 and nine in 2024.
6. Malachi Lawrence, UCF: After adding Lawrence in a trade with the Giants, the Bengals could add another Lawrence in Round 2. He's 22 years old and had seven sacks this past season.
7. Gabe Jacas, Illinois: There has been a ton of buzz about Jacas lately in NFL circles, and the 21-year-old edge has 12 sacks this past season, and has a good chance to make it to the 41st pick in the NFL Draft.
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Linebacker: 1
1. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders linebacker is a fascinating option for the Bengals at 41 overall. He's 23 years old, so a bit older, but the on-field production is incredible, as he would be perfect for a win-now team. He's a fit in Cincinnati.
While unlikely, if Georgia's CJ Allen is still available, he'd be a great option as well. Cincinnati could reach a bit and take Missouri's Josiah Trotter or Pittsburgh's Kyle Louis, but they would be better off waiting until Round 3 for those options.
Safety: 1
1. A.J. Haulcy, LSU: The 22-year-old is someone who the Bengals could take as a deep-safety option to pair with Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle. While safety might not be the biggest need, he's someone to keep an eye on with this pick.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo would be a no-brainer if he somehow slipped to this pick, but the odds are very slim. USC's Kamari Ramsey and Arizona's Treydan Stukes and Genesis Smith are Round 3 options, but would be reaches here at 41.
The Bengals have a lot of solid defensive options at the 41st pick. Even though they no longer own the 10th pick in the draft, there should be some solid help in Round 2 for Cincinnati.
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