Dexter Lawrence
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USA Today's For the Win's Cory Woodroof named the Detroit Lions a potential trade spot for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
The top remaining objective for the Detroit Lions defense this offseason is likely to add another edge rusher. But that doesn’t mean the Lions should turn away opportunities to bolster their defensive line interior. On Monday, one of the league’s top defensive tackles — Dexter Lawrence — potentially hit the trade market.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that Lawrence requested to be traded. The defensive tackle submitted his request while making clear to the Giants he will not participate in the team’s offseason workouts.
Those workouts begin Tuesday for the Giants.
Lawrence is reported looking for a new contract. He’s in the middle of a 4-year, $87.5 million deal with New York.
“Initially there had been optimism that with changes in the organization, discussions could move forward,” wrote Schefter on X. “But now that they haven’t, new Giants head coach John Harbaugh will open his team’s off-season program Tuesday without one of his best players.”
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
Hours after Schefter’s report, USA Today’s For the Win’s Cory Woodruff named the Lions a potential landing spot for Lawrence.
“The Lions could use more pop up front, and Lawrence could provide it,” Woodruff wrote. “As Detroit tries to push for a Super Bowl, perhaps they could entice New York with a straight-up Lawrence-Tyleik Williams swap? Stranger things!”
Lawrence potentially on the trade market is an intriguing new wrinkle in Detroit’s offseason. Again, edge rusher is a bigger need, but Lawrence could fill the vacancy veteran D.J. Reader has left along the Lions defensive line.
Reader departed in 2026 NFL free agency.
Lawrence’s trade request is coming roughly two and a half weeks before teams such as the Lions are preparing to select potential new starters in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Detroit could add an edge rusher at No. 17 overall.
Could Lions Target DT Dexter Lawrence in NFL Trade?
Dexter Lawrence
GettyUSA Today’s For the Win’s Cory Woodroof named the Detroit Lions a potential trade spot for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added more context around Lawrence’s trade request while appearing on Sportscenter on Monday afternoon.
“Here’s the situation. Dexter Lawrence has wanted a new deal for more than a year. The Giants put a band-aid on it, they kind of restructured some money, gave him a little extra guarantees last year. Ultimately, they didn’t do a new deal, but they kind of teased that they would, and here they are, he doesn’t have one despite the arrival of John Harbaugh.
“So he’s now pressing the issue.”
Jeremy Fowler
More on the Dexter Lawrence situation coming off @AdamSchefter report that he’s requested a trade.
With the Giants, Lawrence is set to have a $18.5 million base salary and $26.95 million cap hit in 2026. He will have a similar cap hit with a $15.5 million base salary next year.
On paper, that could make it difficult to acquire Lawrence. But teams have proven over recent years that when there’s a motivation to make a trade happen, salaries and cap hits are rarely an obstacle.
Lawrence could also be considered affordable given how much salaries have ballooned recently.
“He’s due around $40 million over the next two years. That’s well below market for some of these other guys, younger players are getting,” Fowler added. “Lawrence is only 28, 29 in November.
“So, he’s really got one last crack at this as a premiere guy who still gets double-teamed, still gets triple-teamed. He didn’t have the sacks last year, but he’s one of the best.”
Lawrence posted just half a sack with four tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits last season. He also had four pass defenses and one interception in 17 games.
From 2022-24, Lawrence made the Pro Bowl every season and earned two second-team All-Pro bids. During 2024, he registered a career-best nine sacks.
What Could It Cost to Acquire Lawrence?
Dan Campbell Dexter Lawrence
GettyUSA Today’s For the Win’s Cory Woodroof named Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions a potential trade spot for New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
SNY’s Connor Hughes followed up on ESPN’s reporting with an update on what Lawrence might command on the trade market.
Hughes reported Lawrence’s trade value is “difficult to determine” due to Lawrence’s polar opposite sack totals the past two seasons. But Hughes then wrote on X that a deal involving a first or second-round choice is most likely.
That’s assuming the Giants even trade Lawrence. The defensive tackle has requested a trade to get a new contract, which the Giants could still offer him to keep the veteran in New York.
Connor Hughes
Most of the teams I touched base with doubt he actually gets dealt.
As long as Lawrence is a trade candidate, the Lions are a potential suitor because of what they lost with Reader.
The Lions have Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams returning to replace Reader. But Woodruff proposed the Lions deal Williams to pair Lawrence with McNeill, which would be a tremendous upgrade.
Maybe including Williams in the trade helps lower the draft capital the Lions would have to offer the Giants for Lawrence.
Last season, Reader posted 28 combined tackles with four quarterback hits for Detroit. He played 583 defensive snaps.