Pros and cons of New York Giants potentially trading Dexter Lawrence
A look at the pros and cons for the New York Giants after All-Pro NT Dexter Lawrence requested a trade.
One day before the New York Giants are scheduled to report for their nine-week voluntary workout program, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has informed them that he is unhappy and wants to be traded. Lawrence was the 17th overall selection in the 2019 NFL draft out of Clemson by the Giants and has played in 109 games over his seven seasons with Big Blue. He is widely considered the best interior defensive lineman in the game.
Although the 28-year-old Lawrence carries the highest salary cap hit on the Giants' roster ($26. 9 million), he is only the seventh-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL. By comparison, Kansas City's Chris Jones, the player Lawrence is most compared to, earns $44 million per season.
He wants to get closer to Jones' salary-wise as well. Here are several pros and cons to trading the All-World Lawrence as the team tries to transition back into a winner. Pro: Lawrence is a special talent You can't teach size, and Lawrence, at 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, has that.
He is a solid pass-rusher up the middle and a major disruptor. As a result, he draws double teams on most snaps -- that makes him very desirable and most of the league would be interested in a trade. Con: That elbow Lawrence dislocated his elbow late in the 2024 season, which landed him on injured reserve (IR) for the final five games.