In what's being hailed as one of the most impactful trades of the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals landed defensive powerhouse Dexter Lawrence in a straight-up swap for the 10th overall pick—a move that some around the league are calling "an NBA-style deal." The Bengals are understandably thrilled, especially with the goal of keeping quarterback Joe Burrow upright and protected. But not everyone is convinced Cincinnati got the best end of the bargain.

One anonymous NFL executive recently shared their thoughts with The Athletic's Mike Sando, suggesting the Bengals might have missed an opportunity to sweeten the deal. The exec questioned why Cincinnati didn't bring a third team into the mix to recoup a draft pick, hinting that the New York Giants may have played it smart by making the Bengals feel pressured to move the 10th pick quickly. "I don't think enough people were aware it was happening," the exec told Sando. "The Giants played it smart by making the Bengals think they had to give up the 10th pick."

From the Bengals' perspective, however, keeping the deal under wraps was likely intentional. Adding a third team to chase a mid-round pick probably wasn't worth the risk of complicating a trade that directly addressed a key need. For the Giants, who are in the midst of a rebuild, walking away with a top-10 selection for a player who wanted out was a win in itself.

Ultimately, only time will tell who truly "won" this trade. For now, both teams feel they got what they needed—and for the Bengals, that's a game-changing defender to anchor their line.