Given last year’s underperformance, the Giants understandably have little interest in committing additional money to Dexter Lawrence right now. With two years still remaining on the four-year, $90 million extension he signed in 2023, and limited contractual leverage working in his favor, Lawrence instead chose to go public with a trade request. But would the franchise actually move on from one of its own defensive cornerstones? But could the team actually trade its homegrown star? 

General manager Joe Schoen had wisely extended Lawrence early after his breakout 2022 season, locking up a premier interior lineman before the defensive tackle market surged. Ideally, the New York Giants would prefer to play out the remaining two years of that deal, which will pay him $20 million this season and $22 million in 2027. Still, it’s easy to see why that compensation may no longer feel sufficient from Lawrence’s perspective, especially with less accomplished players like Milton Williams and Jordan Davis landing contracts worth roughly $26 million annually over the past two offseasons. Whether last season’s dip signals decline or simply an outlier remains unclear, which is why, as EssentiallySports insider Tony Pauline notes, a trade could still become realistic if the right compensation materializes.

Pauline outlined the scenario on his show, DraftCast with Tony Pauline, on YouTube: “What they believe is going to happen is the Giants will go to Dexter Lawrence’s agent and say, ‘This is our line in the sand. If you can get this sort of compensation for us, we will trade Dexter Lawrence. If you don’t meet the comp, meet the compensation, we’re not going to trade them.’”

According to speculation, Lawrence wants a bigger contract with more guaranteed money. But Pauline’s sources say otherwise. The Giants are not willing to re-negotiate with him, as he has two years left on his contract. One key factor shaping the dispute is that the guaranteed portion of Lawrence’s extension has already been paid out, leaving the final two seasons without long-term financial security from the player’s perspective.

They may have set a specific price, most likely draft picks or covering the rest of his salary. Lawrence’s decision to go public with the request also came just ahead of the start of the team’s first offseason program under new head coach John Harbaugh, a timing widely viewed as a leverage move during an already lengthy negotiation process.

“He doesn’t want to start with a new head coach,” said Pauline. “He’s kind of fed up.”

In his first two seasons in New York, he played under Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge. In 2022, the Giants hired Brian Daboll, and the organization has now entered another transition with Harbaugh leading the next phase. That broader instability has coincided with two difficult seasons for the franchise, during which the Giants managed just seven combined wins. Their seven wins over the past two seasons have coincided with a major dip in Lawrence’s production. After a nine-sack season in 2024, he managed only 0.5 last season, and his 31 tackles marked a new career low. But it had not always been like that for the two-time All-Pro.

His career numbers show a consistently disruptive force, as he’s tallied 341 tackles and 30.5 sacks in 109 games. His peak came during his All-Pro season in 2022, when he was dominant, recording a career-high 68 tackles and 28 quarterback hits. While his recent form has not been that great, he has been a consistent performer since getting drafted. With him being one of the best defensive tackles likely to be available in the market, there could be some major franchises out there to get him.

Dexter Lawrence could have a lot of suitors if he is available for trade

The 2026 NFL Draft class is not strong regarding defensive tackles. The only defensive tackle expected to get a first-round pick is Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald. So, if Lawrence is available in the market, it could create a buzz around the league. According to Pauline, franchises like the Houston Texans and the Buffalo Bills could pursue him.

“Because as good as Kaden McDonald may be, if he goes to a team like the Houston Texans, he’s not going to because the same amount of disruption that Dexter Lawrence is, you know, the Buffalo Bills, if they feel they need a zero technique, nose tackle type in the middle of the line, you know, to get them to the next level, why wouldn’t you trade for Dexter Lawrence?” Pauline said on his show.

The Bills are looking for someone who can provide depth and be a disruptive force on the roster. Last season, the Bills finished 28th in run defense. With new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard expected to employ a 3-4 front, Lawrence could be a good choice for them. Buffalo’s approach would also allow them to prioritize a wide receiver early in the draft while addressing the interior defensive line through a proven veteran addition instead of relying solely on a rookie. Texas A&M’s Tyler Onyedim, Michigan’s Rayshaun Benny, and Iowa State’s Domonique Orange are also available; however, the Bills are looking to draft a wide receiver in the first round, even though one of their wideouts crossed the 1,000-yard mark last season.

So, using a draft pick to get a WR and trading to get Lawrence might be the best scenario for the Bills rather than going after McDonald. As for the Texans, they are eyeing offensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive tackles. Trading for Lawrence could solve that problem for them, allowing them to pursue a different position in the draft. Any deal, however, would likely require significant draft-pick compensation given Lawrence’s résumé, leadership role, and the manageable dead-cap implications that make him unusually movable for a player of his caliber.