Lawrence could be in for offseason standstill after DT's reported trade request

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants, Dexter Lawrence II could be in for offseason standstill after DT's reported trade request

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 2:05 PM ET

The New York Giants will soon be disappointed when they find teams aren't jumping at the chance to acquire defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Monday that Lawrence has requested a trade from the Giants after both parties failed to agree on a renegotiated contract. He will skip the team's voluntary offseason workout program, which begins Tuesday.

Why Dexter Lawrence II won't field a huge trade market

Lawrence is entering the third year of a four-year, $87.5M deal and is scheduled to make $18.5M in base salary this upcoming season and have a cap hit of $26.958M. He'll certainly want a new contract that pays him more with a team that acquires him, but few squads would be willing to offer one.

After making three straight Pro Bowls, 2019 pick No. 17 Lawrence declined in 2025. The DT logged a half-sack in 17 games after having nine in 12 games in 2024. He struggled in the run game as well, posting an 11.4 percent broken/missed tackle rate, his second-worst mark since 2022 (via Sports Info Solutions). That mark is still close to the league average but not elite.

Dexter Lawrence has two years remaining on his deal and is currently scheduled to make $20 million this upcoming season.

Initially there had been optimism that with changes in the organization, discussions could move forward. But now that they haven’t, new Giants head coach John… https://t.co/Ofm6N1KsKv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 6, 2026

Lawrence reaggravated a left elbow injury in 2025, which ended his season in 2024. That was clearly impacting him.

Lawrence could rebound if he recovers from the injury this offseason, but it raises more questions about his durability. The DT turns 29 on Nov. 12, an age when players can be nearing the end of their primes.

It's also unwise for teams to spend high draft capital on interior defensive linemen, who are considered less impactful than edge-rushers. Last season, the Dallas Cowboys sent a 2026 second-round pick, 2027 first-round pick and DT Mazi Smith to the New York Jets for four-time Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams before the deadline passed.

The trade didn't launch the Cowboys back into Super Bowl contention. Dallas went 7-9-1 and missed the postseason for a second straight year.

The Giants and Lawrence could be in for a prolonged offseason standoff. Neither seems willing to budge in contract negotiations, and there's little incentive for clubs to cough up a huge trade package that includes the DT.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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