Dexter Lawrence has uplifted Bengals locker room, says Zac Taylor

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 16: Dexter Lawrence #97 of the New York Giants runs onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on November 16, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One thing Cincinnati Bengals fans quickly learned about Dexter Lawrence after their team acquired him is that his personality is just as big as his play.

The former New York Giants nose tackle has fully embraced the orange and black and made it clear he's very happy about playing with Joe Burrow and old friend BJ Hill.

And that sort of positivity and talent has given the Bengals' locker room a big boost.

I was shocked that he was here every day since we traded for him," said head coach Zac Taylor, per WLWT. It shows how excited he is to be here... [He] really has uplifted this locker room."

Zac Taylor on Dexter Lawrence: I was shocked that he was here every day since we traded for him... It shows how excited he is to be here... [He] really has uplifted this locker room."@WLWT

- Jaron May (@jaron_may) May 12, 2026

That's just about as good of a sign as you can hope to get this early in the offseason.

The next phase will be seeing how Lawrence fits in on the d-line and makes life easier for Cincinnati's young pass rushers.

We discussed the big Lawrence trade and how that better positioned the Bengals in the Draft in the video below.