J.J. Watt Backs Bengals’ Aggressive Approach Around Joe Burrow After Dexter Lawrence Trade
The Cincinnati Bengals entered the offseason determined to strengthen their roster after a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2025, a season in which franchise quarterback Joe Burrow appeared in only eight games because of injury.
One of the organization’s biggest moves came in April when Cincinnati reportedly acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Burrow’s season was derailed early after he suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury during the second quarter of Cincinnati’s Week 2 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury required surgery and sidelined him for an extended period.
Despite his limited playing time, Burrow still produced efficiently, throwing for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns. His performance came one year after he led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes.
Former NFL star J.J. Watt believes the Bengals remain dangerous whenever Burrow is healthy.
Watt, who was in Cincinnati on Friday for Burnley FC’s international friendly against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium, spoke highly of the Bengals quarterback during an interview with reporters. Watt and his wife, Kealia, have been minority owners of Burnley since May 2023.
According to FOX19’s Joe Danneman, Watt said that teams with elite quarterbacks like Burrow always have a chance to compete and should do everything possible to build the strongest roster around them.
Watt also indicated that adding Lawrence addresses an area where Cincinnati needed significant improvement, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
The former Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals star also reflected on his connection to Cincinnati.
“I feel like I have a kinship with Cincinnati over the years,” Watt said. “For some reason, the Bengals, the city of Cincinnati and myself have kind of been intertwined kind of my whole career.”
Watt finished his NFL career with 114.5 sacks and won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Meanwhile, Lawrence arrives in Cincinnati with an impressive résumé. The veteran defensive tackle earned Pro Bowl selections from 2022 through 2024 and collected two second-team All-Pro honors during that span. Although he posted only 0.5 sacks across 17 games in 2025, Lawrence demonstrated his disruptive ability by recording nine sacks in just 12 games during the 2024 season.
The Bengals hope the addition of Lawrence, combined with a healthy Burrow, will help return the franchise to playoff contention in 2026.
