The New York Giants woke up to surprising news as star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II requested a trade. Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, the G-Men have been put on notice. They are now weighing their options, and reports suggest the Giants have come up with their asking price to the rest of the league.
The Giants don’t necessarily have their hands tied behind their back. Lawrence’s contract with the NY Giants runs through the 2027 NFL season, so New York can work things out with the nose tackle and keep him in town for two more years. However, if Lawrence is indeed fixed on moving out of The Big Apple, the G-Men may be left with no choice but to explore the market. If that’s the case, a report indicates New York already knows what to ask for in return.
According to ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan, the Giants will only listen to offers that include a late first-round or second-round selection. That’s the expected asking price from New York if it even considers trading Lawrence, which remains unclear. Lawrence can publicly ask out and stamp his feet, but at the end of the day, he signed a contract to play for the Giants through the 2027 NFL season.
NY Giants could risk tension with Lawrence
As stated, the Giants are under no obligation to trade Lawrence. However, it may end up being wiser for them to ship him away than keep him around against his wishes in the long run. If Lawrence isn’t traded, he may choose to hold out, missing practices and perhaps even games.
Dexter Lawrence #97 of the New York Giants.
That’d cost him money, though, as players are subject to fines for missing mandatory team events. If things go south between New York and Lawrence, the former could even suspend him without pay. Thus, the leverage is mostly on the Giants’ side.
Still, what good is leverage when a team is missing a crucial veteran in the trenches, and one who could be traded for a reasonable return? If that’s the case, the Giants may be better off trading Lawrence away while the market is high on him.
Extra leverage for Giants
The fact that Lawrence won’t become an unrestricted free agent until the 2028 offseason means New York has some extra leverage in trade talks. Teams can’t lowball the Giants as if they risked losing Lawrence to free agency. Instead, any organization interested in the interior defensive lineman will have to sit down and come up with a decent offer for the G-Men to listen.
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