Dexter Lawrence arrived at the Cincinnati Bengals with a strong inner fire, something he is clearly showing during training camp. In fact, Ja’Marr Chase made it clear that his new teammate has been a real nightmare for the offense.
“Honestly, he’s been terrorizing practice,” the talented wide receiver told Yahoo Sports. “I can honestly say that.” The first padded practice of the 2026 training camp is starting to heat things up for the Bengals.
Lawrence, who managed to take down Dalton Risner during practice, has taken his role on this team seriously: “Sometimes you got to assert yourself and let guys know who you are,” the nose tackle said. “It ain’t going to stop.”
The Bengals’ defensive leap
The acquisition of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence represents a massive leap in quality for the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive front. Coming off a 2025 season with the New York Giants where he started all 17 games, recording 31 tackles (14 solo), four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass deflections, and one interception, Lawrence brings elite interior power, double-team gravity, and disruptive run defense.
Dexter Lawrence II #97 of the Cincinnati Bengals signs autographs during the Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp.
His presence elevates the entire unit, slotting in alongside veteran tackle Jonathan Allen (acquired from the Vikings), high-upside edge rusher Myles Murphy, and newly added pass rusher Boye Mafe (arrived from the Seahawks) to form a formidable, high-impact defensive line.
Cincinnati aims to improve last season’s numbers
After finishing third in the AFC North with a disappointing 6–11 record, the Bengals enter the upcoming season determined to overhaul a defense that heavily compromised their performance. In 2025, Cincinnati ranked among the league’s worst defensive units, surrendering 492 total points (28.9 points per game, 30th in the NFL) and allowing 6,475 total yards along with 49 touchdowns.
Opponents also converted on 43.4% of third downs and 70.0% of fourth downs against them. Rebuilding this side of the ball will be the top priority as the Bengals aim to turn these bottom-tier metrics around and compete for the division title once again.
