The Cincinnati Bengals knew they were getting an impact player when they sent their 10th overall pick to the New York Giants back in April. For a defense that desperately needed it, the Bengals took a swing to land a true force in the middle.
Jonathan Allen describes the impact of Dexter Lawrence on the Bengals defense
A true force in the middle.
His impact was instantly felt in the locker room and on the practice field, but Sunday was the first time fans and his teammates got to see the true impact Lawrence can make on a game. The box score won’t tell you a lot, but the film and insights from teammates and coaches will.
While the stat sheet may tell you that Lawrence only had one hit on the quarterback, his teammate Jonathan Allen will tell you just how important he is.
“Dexter gets a lot of attention. I don’t think people realize the impact he has,” Allen told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “If you look at the stats, it doesn’t paint even a quarter of the picture that Dexter does. No matter how good we’re all playing, he’s forced to command a double.”
While Lawrence didn’t stuff the stat sheet, his mere presence on the field was opening things up for the players around him. Even if...