Since Dexter Lawrence requested a trade out of the New York Giants, it looks like the organization in East Rutherford is left with only two choices: the Giants either re-sign Lawrence to a new deal or they trade him away before the 2026 NFL Draft. However, a new option has now been brought up by a recent report.
New York might have another alternative to solve the dispute with Lawrence, who firmly believes his level of play quickly surpassed his deal with the Giants. Lawrence is contractually bound to the G-Men for the next two seasons in the NFL. However, New York knows it’s no use having Lawrence under contract if he won’t even attend team events and is flirting with missing the mandatory offseason program in June.
Thus, the Giants must find a solution—and they may have found one that isn’t in the shape of an extension, but rather a restructured contract. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Giants could guarantee a portion of Lawrence’s pay while adding large incentives and bonuses, all the while keeping him under his current deal that runs through the 2027 NFL season.
As it stands, Lawrence is due $20 million in the 2026 NFL season, with another $22 million set for 2027. Out of his $20 million paycheck, $18.5 million corresponds to his base salary. The extra $1.5 million is amounted by a $500,000 workout bonus and a $1 million in per-game roster bonuses. If the dispute continues, a percentage of those bonuses might be at stake. New York could change up some details to assure Lawrence is guaranteed more money.
Dexter Lawrence II #97 of the New York Giants
New York could opt to wait before extension
Lawrence will be 30 by the time he’s up for a new contract in the league, and then the G-Men can make another decision on him—if he wants to stay in New York by then. As it stands, Lawrence’s trade request seems to be a last-ditch effort on his part to secure a better deal. In reality, Lawrence is content in East Rutherford and knows the Giants could be in for a massive leap under new head coach John Harbaugh.
Moreover, the organization has several areas to address, but the defensive front may be one of its brightest beacons of hope moving forward. Unless another team comes forward with an offer too good to resist, the Giants will look for ways to settle any differences with Lawrence and keep him on board. If that occurs, the G-Men—and their fanbase—will have zero regrets.
Lawrence is coming off a down season
Lawrence’s production did go down in 2025, but he still contributed. It may be lost in analytics, but Lawrence is a force to be reckoned with for opposing teams. His presence takes up a lot of time in game plans and preparation for the rest of the league, as well as requiring constant attention in the trenches. It all adds up to make life easier for other pass rushers and run stoppers like Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and many others to take center stage.
Lawrence may be coming off a rough year based on his personal stats, but if he’s taken out of the equation, it could be much worse for the rest of the team. The Giants are well aware of that; they may choose not to publicly admit it in order to make their case for not signing him to a new contract, but they do appreciate Lawrence.
Deep down, the New York Giants may have the sense that his cap hit is not quite aligned with his value to the team’s functioning. Whether New York and Lawrence will swallow their pride or let this quarrel extend is a different question.
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