Giants seem to send clear message to Dexter Lawrence II about 'broken off' talks regarding extension, trade

A report from late Tuesday night revealed that the New York Giants and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II "have reached an impasse" in talks regarding Lawrence's trade request that is related to his desire for a pay raise. 

In the spring of 2023, the Giants signed Lawrence to a four-year, $90M extension. On Wednesday morning, NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY seemed to share a strong response from the Giants about the ongoing situation. 

Giants prepared to stand firm in talks with Dexter Lawrence II?

"Sources told SNY there is no urgent push to complete a new contract with Lawrence, nor are the Giants willing to meet his every demand," Hughes explained. "They have him under team control for two additional seasons. They added $3M in incentives to his contract last year. His elbow injury and recent performance are not reasons, in their view, to tear up his deal."

While Lawrence was a dominant force before he suffered that elbow injury during the 2024 season, he finished the 2025 campaign with only half a sack. Some, including franchise legend Carl Banks, ripped Lawrence last fall and accused the 28-year-old of being out of shape. 

How Quinnen Williams may impact Giants' handling of Dexter Lawrence II

According to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, talks between the Giants and Lawrence have 'broken off.'" However, that doesn't necessarily mean that a trade is imminent. 

Ahead of this past November's trade deadline, the New York Jets traded disgruntled defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2026 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

"Williams, unhappy with his contract and seeking a change of scenery, requested a trade three times," Hughes wrote. "The Jets were not willing to move him until they received what they considered fair compensation." 

In short, it sounds like the Giants want Lawrence to either adjust the amount of money he wants attached to an extension or find a team willing to meet their asking price for his services. Hughes repeated previous information and mentioned that "a late 2026 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, or a package of second- and fifth-round picks were viewed as fair value by those outside the Giants’ organization" for Lawrence. 

Hughes also said that the start of the 2026 draft on April 23 "is not a firm deadline" for when the Giants want this situation sorted. 

NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US noted that "this draft doesn’t offer many options" at defensive tackle as it pertains to high-value picks. If the Giants truly believe they won't be able to find a like-for-like Lawrence replacement, they may feel they have no reason to trade him or cave to his demands anytime soon. 

"It’s also possible that the talks could resume," Florio pointed out about the current state of the relationship between the Giants and Lawrence.