Zac Taylor shares his thoughts on the ‘Sexy Dexy’ impact

Posted by Admin August 7, 2026 NFL

The Cincinnati Bengals shocked the NFL world this offseason by trading the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants in exchange for superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

Lawrence, also known as ‘Sexy Dexy,’ has been one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL for years and was ready for a change of scenery going into 2026.

The Bengals were in desperate need of defensive help, and obtaining Lawrence has already paid off throughout training camp.

The offense has struggled more than usual because of his presence in the middle, and Sexy Dexy has added significant value to the defensive line as the anchor.

Head coach Zac Taylor recently shared his thoughts on Lawrence and a specific play he made that caught the eye of everyone online.

“A relentlessness to him,” Taylor told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Ted (Karras) has his hands full, and it’s making Ted better. Whatever year Ted’s in (11). I think it’s certainly a grind for both those guys. They’re two smart guys that are doing everything they can to win the rep and help their unit, but he’s tough.

“We ran a counter play that was really good the other day, and he just reached around and grabbed Chase Brown. And there’s nothing I would have told (right guard) Dalton (Risner) to do differently. Dalton did a great job 99% of the time against 99 of 100 tackles. That’s going to be a great block. And Dexter just made that play. That’s a rare play for a guy to make.”

It is no surprise that Lawrence was going to be a massive piece moving forward, but his impact already is incredible to see.