Latest Dexter Lawrence disrespect should be rocket fuel for Bengals camp

Is it time to abolish offseason rankings? Cincinnati Bengals fans might feel that way after the latest shade thrown Dexter Lawrence's way.

No defensive tackle in the sport can match Lawrence's blend of sheer size, strength, functional athleticism, and ability to rush the passer and defend the run at a high level. Don't let that stop everyone from box score scouting him based on last year, though!

It's all good. It's fine. This is the perfect motivational fuel to spur Lawrence on in Cincinnati. As if he needed any more incentive beyond the intrinsic DAWG dwelling within his soul...

Bengals star Dexter Lawrence falls from first to seventh in ESPN defensive tackle rankings

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler surveyed NFL coaches, executives, and scouts to rank the NFL's best defensive tackles. If anything, this list proves that maybe, just maybe, efficacy in talent evaluation eludes even the (alleged) elite minds who get to build teams for a living.

While Fowler emphasized that the voting was close for the Nos. 3 through 7 slots, Lawrence experienced a precipitous drop-off from his prior first-place perch entering the 2025 campaign.

You can almost hear Fowler apologizing for these poor souls who are overthinking Sexy Dexy's dominance:

"Lawrence fell six spots, but the drop in his play isn't that steep. The voting between the third and seventh spots was close. That said, Lawrence's 0.5 sacks in 2025 were a career low, and he failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2021. But no defensive tackle gets more attention from offensive lines. Lawrence faced a double-team 71.3% of the time in 2025, a league high for players with at least 300 pass-rush opportunities."

Leonard Williams was a key part of the Seattle Seahawks' run to Super Bowl glory. Not one non-Seahawks fan in real life actually believes he's the best defensive tackle in the NFL.

The hierarchy thereafter goes as follows: Jeffery Simmons (Titans), Jalen Carter (Eagles), Chris Jones (Chiefs), Derrick Brown (Panthers), and Quinnen Williams (Cowboys).

Simmons has performed at a commendable level on many bad Tennessee teams, but Lawrence was doing the same with the New York Giants. Carter is great when he's on the field for Philly. It's just that, um, are we sure he's even gonna get a second contract with the team that freaking drafted him?

As for Jones, well, he has a comparable impact to Lawrence as a pass rusher, minus the run defense. And while Lawrence could've been better versus the run last year, his "down season" is as good as any of these other guys' top performances.

I'll hear an argument for Quinnen Williams being above Lawrence overall. Otherwise, this list is wack.

...And as a Bengals fan, I can't help but admit that Steelers legend Cameron Heyward deserves a spot on here. Nary an honorable mention! Wow.

But again. It's OK. Lawrence's team-friendly contract shows he's serious about wining a Super Bowl in Cincinnati. Playing for a team that has an offense led by Joe Burrow was plenty of incentive for him to not fully maximize his contract value and be a part of a winning culture.

If Lawrence improves on the numbers below, look out, rest of NFL.

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