Dexter Lawrence isn’t buying the idea that his strong camp is some kind of indictment of the Bengals’ offensive line.
The Pro Bowl defensive tackle, who Cincinnati brought in from the New York Giants in the offseason, has been one of the standout names around Bengals training camp. But when NFL insider Kay Adams brought up the chatter on her “Up & Adams” show - the notion that “Dexter Lawrence having a dominant camp exposes how bad the Bengals O-Line is.” - Lawrence pushed back on that line of thinking.
“I don't think it has much to do with them,” Lawrence said. “More than the pressure I'm applying. I think it has been one of the most competitive camps I've been part of.
“I’m learning how to get through the double teams they send or work on where my hands need to be on certain blocks. They have me thinking about making one less mistake or one less error.”
Lawrence’s work has placed him in the mix with the biggest names in camp, alongside Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The early returns point to a defensive line that should look different for the Bengals in 2026.
Burrow has already noticed what Lawrence brings to the field. The quarterback said the new defensive tackle helps create a more realistic training camp environment.
“During training camp, it’s typically hard to to get the feel of a game-like pocket,” Burrow said. “Just because, you know, guys are rushing, but then they’re pulling up, and usually not they’re not going full speed, so there are not lanes to escape. But when Dex is in there, he’s pushing that pocket, so it’s giving me really a game feel.”
With Lawrence in the fold, Burrow and the veteran defensive tackle are expected to be clubhouse leaders for Cincinnati heading into the 2026 season.
In Other News...
Bengals Passed On One EDGE And The Debate Just Got Louder
The 2025 draft has already become a talking point for Cincinnati because of the different paths taken by two edge rushers who were on the board at the same time. Atlanta went with James Pearce Jr., while the Bengals chose Shemar Stewart, and the comparison has only sharpened as both franchises wait for those decisions to play out on the field. For Cincinnati, the appeal was obvious at the time: a young defender with big traits who could grow into a long-term piece up front.
The problem is that the early returns have not brought much clarity. Stewart has not yet matched the kind of impact the Bengals were hoping for, and his current injury only adds another layer to a pick that is still being judged. Pearce, meanwhile, is now creating a different kind of headache for Atlanta, which is why the debate over which team handled the draft slot better is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Depth Battle Already Produced Some Early Standouts
The Bengals preseason opener against the Lions was less about the headline names and more about the players trying to force their way into the conversation. With Joe Burrow and other starters seeing limited work, Cincinnati leaned on a mix of new defensive additions and young depth pieces in a 16-14 win that offered an early look at how the back end of the roster might begin to take shape.
Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen drew plenty of attention as part of the defenses new look, but the more immediate intrigue came from the turnover swings and timely snaps made by players battling for jobs. In August, those are the kinds of moments that matter most, and the Bengals already have a few standouts making the case that this competition could get interesting well before cutdown day. [Read more 🡒]
Swayze Bozeman Is Suddenly Pressuring One Thin Bengals Position Group
Swayze Bozeman has spent the Bengals preseason making himself harder to ignore, and that matters in a linebacker room that could use another steady body. The undrafted defender, who was claimed off waivers in May after previous stops with the Chiefs, Bears and Giants, has flashed the kind of athleticism teams tend to chase when they are sorting through the bottom of the roster. He has been working with the second-team defense and generally looks like a player who has forced the staff to keep looking.
For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious because the path is there if he keeps stacking useful snaps. Bozemans early work has put real pressure on a thin position group, and the Bengals will have to decide whether his preseason momentum is enough to carry him into roster discussions when cuts arrive. There is still a lot to sort out, but he has done enough already to make the conversation more interesting than expected. [Read more 🡒]