The New York Giants may have nothing to fear after Dexter Lawrence demanded a trade out of the organization. According to a report around the league, it could all turn out to be a maneuver for the star nose tackle to leverage his way into a bigger contract in New York ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
“The timing of [Dexter] Lawrence’s request suggests he wants a raise more than a trade,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan reported recently about the drama surrounding Lawrence and the Giants. That wouldn’t quite be the best-case scenario for New York, but it’s far from the worst, either.
New York has no interest in trading Lawrence, although the Giants could receive an offer too good to resist from teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals. Still, it seems Lawrence isn’t really asking to be traded. Perhaps the veteran nose tackle is only looking to draw attention to himself, improve his stock, and show New York that, if they aren’t careful, it could lose him.
Ideal scenario for NY Giants
The Giants were wise to hand Lawrence a four-year contract extension back in May 2023. In New York’s ideal world, Lawrence would have been happy to ride out the final two years of his contract in East Rutherford. That wasn’t the case, though. Thus, the Giants must face the music and make a decision.
Dexter Lawrence #97 of the New York Giants
They either hand Lawrence a better deal, or they trade him. Improving Lawrence’s contract may be frowned upon by fans, especially after Lawrence’s down year in 2025. However, if they trade him, the Giants risk the nose tackle finding his best football again somewhere else in the NFL. That’d be a very tough look for the G-Men.
There is another option: the in-between. That would imply staying put. Lawrence is under contract through the 2027 campaign, so New York isn’t legally obliged to move on from him. However, Lawrence can opt to hold out of mandatory team sessions—though it’d cost him several fines—and that would only lead to more drama in East Rutherford.
What will the NY Giants do?
If the Giants won’t restructure Lawrence’s contract, the safest bet is to trade him while his market is high and pray for the best, i.e., Lawrence not having a career year with his new team. Still, as the report suggests, it seems Lawrence prefers re-signing in New York rather than being traded, so he shouldn’t throw a wrench in the works if both sides sit down to negotiate.
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What should New York do with Lawrence?
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