Overview
- During a joint practice on Thursday, Dexter Lawrence tipped a Caleb Williams pass, caught the deflected ball for an interception and then generated pressure and a sack on the next drive.
- Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Lawrence traded public praise after the session, with Williams calling Lawrence an All-Pro-caliber force and Lawrence describing how he read a screen and made the tip.
- Multiple accounts said the Bengals defense won the scrimmage periods, with Cincinnati closing one session with an Evan McPherson field goal and the pass rush creating repeated negative plays.
- Lawrence was the centerpiece of an offseason move that cost Cincinnati the No. 10 pick, and the club also added Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and draft picks like Cashius Howell to overhaul the defense.
- Coaches and reporters note that joint practices are controlled evaluations, so Saturday’s preseason game at Paycor Stadium will be a clearer test of whether Lawrence’s practice impact carries over to game conditions and depth players.