The New York Giants have some interesting decisions to make with its roster this offseason. One player who has two years remaining on his contract is defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. He has been with the team since the 2019 season, and he is 28 years old. Lawrence did not perform well during the 2025 NFL season. He recorded 31 tackles, 0.5 sacks, one interception, and four pass deflections.
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Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) is pressured by New York Giants defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris (95) and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
There is a good chance that with John Harbaugh being the new head coach, his production will immediately be fixed next season. With that being said, could Lawrence potentially be on the decline instead? Is there a world where the Giants trade him this offseason or are they more likely to give him a new contract extension?
New York Giants Insider Believes That a Contract Extension For Dexter Lawrence Is On the Table
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Oct 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) celebrates after a sack against the Philadelphia Eagles with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) and safety Jevon Holland (8) during the first quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Dan Duggan of the Athletic wrote about a 10-step plan for the Giants offseason. He believes that this franchise should give him a contract extension instead of trading him to another team. Duggan said,
“On the other hand, committing to Lawrence would be risky based on his performance last season. There hasn’t been a clear explanation for his decline in production (nine sacks in 2024, a half-sack in 2025), but he’s still treated like a game-wrecker by opponents. I’m betting that the 28-year-old comes back motivated to reclaim his status as the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in the league.
A contract commensurate with that status would be necessary. Topping the $26 million average annual salary Milton Williams secured from the Patriots in free agency last offseason is a fair outcome. With Lawrence already signed through 2027, a two-year extension worth $56 million would give him a $28 million average annual salary in the added years.
Beyond rewarding one of the team’s best players, another benefit of extending Lawrence would be lowering his $27 million cap hit in 2026. The Giants could easily create a few million in cap savings by spreading the cap charge from a signing bonus evenly throughout a new four-year deal.”
Giants fans would revolt if Lawrence was traded to another NFL team. New York brought in Harbaugh thinking this team is close to turning it around. This team can’t afford to trade away its best defensive player even though he had a down year in 2025. If Lawrence does have another down year in 2026 and if he isn’t contract extended by then, different conversations could potentially be had.
But for right now, trading him shouldn’t be considered and extending him should be a priority despite the down season. Lawrence is still in the prime of his career. A new defensive coordinator will not only help him out, but other players on the defense as well.
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