Dexter Lawrence, the defensive tackle the Bengals picked up from the Giants this offseason, is absolutely dominating Cincinnati practices right now, making their offense look like a mess. This dude is an absolute menace, even when he can’t even get near the quarterback in practice drills.
Cincinnati’s O-Line Has No Answers
Bengals guard Dalton Risner told Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports that Lawrence is bringing a crazy intensity to training camp. Risner isn’t holding back, saying there are “certain guys in this league like Dexter who wreck a whole game play and you have to do everything around them and you change everything you’re doing.” He’s making the O-line change “how you block against certain guys” and forcing them to do it “really early and really often.” That’s not just a problem, that’s a *crisis* if your offensive line is getting schooled this hard already in August!
He’s Been Terrorizing Practice
Even the playmakers are feeling it. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase minced no words, straight up saying Lawrence “has been terrorizing practice.” Chase added, “I can honestly say that.” When your star receiver is basically saying practice is a nightmare because of one guy, you know it’s real. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher confirmed the pressure, noting Lawrence is “pressure testing” the entire offensive line. Pitcher broke down the defensive tackle’s unique threat, highlighting how a “man as big as [Lawrence]” with “quick twitch and the speed they’re able to play with just disarms you.” He admitted he doesn’t “know what you do to counteract that other than you just really focus on the technique of this interior line and you got to be really cognizant of what types of schemes you’re tryin” to run.
So, what does this mean for Cincinnati’s offense? They’ve got a massive challenge on their hands. If Lawrence is this disruptive in August, the Bengals’ interior line better get their technique locked down, and fast. They gotta figure out those schemes ASAP, or it’s gonna be a long season trying to block this guy. This isn’t just practice anymore; this is a full-blown test before the regular season even kicks off. How will they adjust? That’s the question everyone’s asking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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