Colin Cowherd's glaring omission launches Bengals fans into an uproar

The arrival of Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence — still surreal that this is the new normal — marked a major pivot point for the risk-averse franchise this offseason.

Lawrence cost the Bengals only the 10th overall pick, which pales in comparison to the price the Rams just paid for Myles Garrett. Critics of the Lawrence trade who thought it was an overpay, even after the Giants spent Cincinnati's draft pick on a freaking offensive guard, can't really use that as a point of criticism. Plus, Sexy Dexy is on a bargain of a contract.

So in what world does Lawrence not crack a top-10 list of the NFL's top personnel moves of hte offseason? In Colin Cowherd's world, apparently.

Where Colin Was Wrong: Excluding Dexter Lawrence from top 10 NFL offseason moves

Colin has been at it for a long time. In addition to this show on Fox Sports, he's founded The Volume podcast network. For man who has to fire off hot-as-possible takes for a living, Cowherd comes across a lot more reasonable than many of his contemporaries like the Stephen A. Smiths and Skip Baylesses world.

However, despite those flattering qualifiers, Cowherd couldn't be more wrong than to leave off Lawrence from his 10 favorite offseason moves. Dexy didn't even make the honorable mentions list!

“Here, to me, are the top 10 moves so far in the offseason. I’m not even including Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens, or Malik Willis to the Dolphins, and I think those are tremendous moves.”

Check out some of the fan reactions to this asinine (to invoke Stephen A., asi-ten? Asi-eleven? Asi-twelve?) segment:

Let's just go through Colin's list of allegedly superior-to-Lawrence moves one by one, shall we? Reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III plays a volatile, short shelf life position. If Patrick Mahomes isn't HIM off that torn ACL, where does that leave Walker?

Mike Evans to the 49ers? Better than Lawrence? Really? Evans is hobbling all over the field half the time. He's turning 33 in August. Lotta tread on those tires.

Then we have the rest as follows, in order: Kyler Murray to the Vikings, Jared Verse to Cleveland via the Garrett trade, the Bills' trade for DJ Moore, another new Ram in Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, A.J. Brown to the Patriots, Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders, and of course, Garrett to LA is No. 1.

I'm sorry but, is there even a guarantee that Kyler starts over J.J. McCarthy? Not at this point! Verse is a high-quality player, yet the Browns just gave up a legit legend in Garrett for someone with a 22.6% missed tackle rate through two seasons.

As for the wide receivers, well, let's start with Moore. He's about the most low-effort "star" player you'll ever see in the NFL. Turn on the film. Tell me, with a strategist face, that he's going all-out on more than half his snaps. Moore is a felonious fugitive on the run from the Effort Police. Good luck, Josh Allen!

I actually quite like Waddle landing in Denver. Not a bad move by the Broncos to get him for a late first-round pick. It's just that...Bo Nix is his quarterback. Doesn't bode well.

Brown to New England is nice. Well, as long as Mike Vrabel's personal scandal doesn't get in the way, and as long as Brown doesn't heel turn on his new QB Drake Maye like he did on Super Bowl champion Jalen Hurts, who I think is wildly overrated, but still.

No argument with Garrett at No. 1, but Tyler Linderbaum at No. 2? Really? The Bengals are paying Lawrence $11 million less over a three-year span than the Raiders are shelling out for Linderbaum through 2028. Who's going to have a bigger-picture impact at a higher-value position? It's Dexter Lawrence all day, every day.

Couldn't agree more with my X/Twitter mutual James Rapien here. The caption says it all, and it appears to be a direct rebuttal to Cowherd's top-10 list:

Anyway, just thought this take from Cowherd was pretty wildly off the grid. Dexter Lawrence will easily be one of the NFL's top 10 offseason moves. I'm not about to make some bet where if it doesn't pan out that way, I'll eat my shoe or something. Nevertheless, I'm quite confident.

If Lawrence is even 75% of the dominant player he was for many years with the Giants, complemented by an elite offense spearheaded by Joe Burrow, how does this not work out super well?

Personally? If we're to assume Lawrence lives up to the hype, he's a top-three move, and he ain't three. Garrett should be No. 1, yet the Rams paid so much to get him that you could almost make a case for Lawrence, since he ought to be the most individually impactful to turning around Cincinnati's horrendous defense.

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