The New York Giants entered the offseason with new head coach John Harbaugh focused on stabilizing a roster that has made just two playoff appearances over the past 15 years. After several roster additions, that process hit an unexpected roadblock Monday when star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade.
A 2019 first-round pick out of Clemson, Lawrence has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Giants, compiling 341 career tackles and 30.5 sacks while earning three Pro Bowl selections and two second-team All-Pro honors. Although his production dipped in 2025, he remains a cornerstone of New York’s defensive front.
Lawrence is under contract for two more seasons, with a $18.5 million base salary in 2026, but is seeking a raise. With negotiations stalled, the three-time Pro Bowler submitted a trade request on Monday morning, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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Harbaugh acknowledged Tuesday that the situation did not come as a surprise, though he remains hopeful a resolution can be reached.
"We will find out, but I expect prospects to be high. Speaking for the Giants, we want Dex here and I believe Dexter wants to be here, but it's a business. It's football. We will try to work through it and see what happens," Harbaugh told reporters via Zoom on Tuesday.
Harbaugh added that he had spoken with Lawrence earlier in the offseason but stepped back at the direction of general manager Joe Schoen. Contract discussions are now being handled by Schoen and the vice president of football operations and strategy, Dawn Aponte, though Harbaugh noted he would also “throw his two cents in.”
"We've had good conversations with Dexter's agent, Joel Segal, and understood what they were thinking," the former Baltimore Ravens head coach added. "This is where we're at and we'll try to work through it -- see what we can get done."
Lawrence and the Giants agreed to a four-year, $87.5 million extension in 2023, which at the time made him one of the highest-paid interior defensive linemen in the league. However, the market has since surged, and his average annual value now ranks outside the top 10 at the position.
Following a career-high nine sacks in 2024, the Giants adjusted his deal with an additional $3 million in potential incentives. Even after a relatively quiet 2025 campaign, where he recorded 31 tackles, eight quarterback hits, four passes defended, one interception, and 0.5 sacks, Lawrence remains one of the league’s premier interior defenders, and it's time for the Giants to pay him.
If New York hopes to keep him, it may require a significant new investment. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post projects a deal in the range of four years and $110 million. That would make Lawrence the second-highest-paid interior defensive linemen in the NFL, just behind Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs, at over $27 million annually.
