Dexter Lawrence Trade Request NFL Trade Rumors Bears Trade Bears News
Getty
Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
The Chicago Bears might not need to wait until draft night to find an upgrade for their interior defensive line amid news that an All-Pro has requested a trade.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New York Giants veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has formally requested a trade from the team and has no plans to participate in the Giants’ voluntary offseason workout program when it begins on Tuesday, April 7.
“Lawrence and the Giants have been through two offseasons attempting to negotiate a contract reflecting his value to the Giants over the last three years, but there has not been any progress, per sources,” Schefter wrote Monday on X.
Even better for Chicago fans, there is also a report floating around from Packer Report’s Easton Butler that the Bears are among the teams that have already called the Giants to ask about a potential trade for Lawrence, who would cost about $13 million in 2026.
Dexter Lawrence Trade Would Elevate Bears Defense
Lawrence — a second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023 — would be a premium addition to a Bears defensive line that finished 31st in the league in the pass-rush win rate (29%) and 26th in run-stop win rate (29%) during the 2025 season, per ESPN Analytics.
While Lawrence tallied the fewest sacks (0.5) of his career despite playing all 17 games, he was still largely effective as a penetrating pass rusher, generating 34 pressures with 27 hurries. He also finished with an 8% pass-rush win rate and earned an 84.5 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking seventh best among defensive tackles.
That’s enough to think that Lawrence’s 2025 production is more of an anomaly than a sign that he is on the decline, especially since he logged 30 sacks in his first six seasons.
The big question for the Bears, as always, is price. The Giants are unlikely to move on from Lawrence unless they receive a high-value offer, but the asking price is unclear at this point in time. Even still, the Bears have the assets to make them a compelling offer.
The simplest offer for the Bears could be their 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall) for Lawrence, but it would work better for them if they could package a player with one of their two second-round selections (Nos. 57 and 60) to create a little more cap room. Lawrence would cost about $13 million to add to their 2026 books, meaning they would need to restructure or outright cut multiple contracts to clear the necessary cap space.
If the plan at No. 25 overall is to target a defensive tackle, though, an already-developed Lawrence could make much more sense for a playoff-contending Bears roster in 2026.