Bengals superstar owning past shortcomings is the energy this team needs

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence may not be atop multiple lists (or even featured)praising the NFL's best offseason moves. Nevertheless, he's been a breath of fresh air in myriad ways for an organization that desperately needed someone like him.

Lawrence has established himself as a critical leader in the locker room as soon as the early portion of the offseason program. The two time all pro it could have easily justified skipping out on voluntary workouts, choosing instead to train on his own.

Instead, the behemoth known as Sexy Dexy bought in right away, got to know his new teammates as soon as possible, and continues to set an exemplary tone for what the Bengals want to accomplish this year.

Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence takes lack of sack production in stride as he aims to rally in Cincinnati

ESPN's Ben Baby reported on some recent comments Lawrence made about why his last season with the New York Giants wasn't up to his elite standard.

Although he implied that the 0.5 sacks he recorded is a bit of a box score scouting misnomer, Lawrence was unfazed by that criticism. His mentality is on to the next, and leaving zero doubt that he's a premier player amidst a massive change of scenery:

"If you turn on the tape, you'll see what you're supposed to see...It's more about proving myself right. I know who I am. People have been talking about me my whole life. It's just the way this game goes. It's just the way I've been in the spotlight my whole life. [...] Fresh start is more a retirement. But I would just say [I'm] continuing my legacy and this is part of my journey."

Indeed, Lawrence isn't dwelling on what went down with the Giants. Nor should he. They failed him at every turn with bad offenses to complement him. Lawrence and his defensive unit were often playing with one arm tied behind their backs. That analogy doesn't work too well if applied to literal football players, or if you're just applying the analogy to one guy out of 11. Or is it all 11?

You get my drift in any case. Lawrence won't have to worry about the Bengals helping him out on the other side of the ball as long as Joe Burrow is the quarterback.

Dexter Lawrence's mindset should rub off on the Bengals in the best way

Let me take you back to the 2025 season, dear reader. Captive audience of one. Fair warning, this is the stuff of nightmare fuel. You might've suppressed the memories.

Buried in all the optimism and awesomeness of what Cincinnati did this offseason to improve the defense is the toxic culture that pervaded the locker room mere months ago.

Rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter were floundering on the field in real time. They squandered a 470-yard passing performance from Joe Flacco to lose 47-42 at home to the Chicago Bears in Week 9. It was beyond ugly out there.

Guess how several other key defenders apparently responded afterwards? By dodging the media.

It was a terrible look. Bengals running back Chase Brown went absolutely nuclear on the defense for their poor performance — and I can't blame him one bit.

Safe to say that scene with Brown, and the antics of those called out defensive players, won't be tolerated with Lawrence in the building.

Between Dex, Bryan Cook, Boye Mafe, and Jonathan Allen, the Bengals actually have a solid veteran core. Cook and Mafe have won a combined three Super Bowls. Nobody is here to mess around or entertain the nonsense of yesteryear that held this team back.

Bear all that in mind and see how Lawrence's final words from Baby's piece land for ye:

"At the end of the day for me, it's how do I want to be remembered when I'm done...Just to continue my dominance and help this organization win the Super Bowl."

Get a load of Lawrence working out below. That is a give-or-take 350-pound mountain of a man moving at terrifying speed. You think he's just a little fired up to get going?

Somebody must not have told Lawrence training camp hasn't started yet. No matter. And no shade. It's freaking awesome. Who Dey Nation will take this man to go to war on the gridiron every day and twice on Sundays.

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