Despite stories that Dexter Lawrence needs to be traded, the New York Giants are “doing everything we can” to keep the star defensive sort out, according to exclusive reporting from Paul Schwart of the New York Post.
“We are working together to get the best outcome for the Giants team,’’ head coach John Harbaugh told The Post. “We also respect Dexter fully as a person and player and want him to be happy. We are doing everything we can, as best we can, as responsibly as we can.’’
There have been reports that talks between the two sides on a new or revised contract were at an impasse and had broken off completely. Schwartz, though, said Joel Segal, Lawrence’s agent, and the team are “still talking.”
Advertisement
Schwartz wrote:
The group is keen to give him a big monetary improve. However, Lawrence is dug in on what he needs, and the 2 sides won’t find a way to get the negotiations over the end line.
Schwartz wrote that Lawrence needs “much more” than the $19.5 million he’s scheduled to make in every of the ultimate two years of his contract.
Here are different factors made by Schwartz, with a few of my ideas following every:
This is strictly about cash. Lawrence, who turns 29 in November, might see this as his final alternative to money in with a profitable new deal. Jordan Davis of the Eagles and Milton Williams of the Patriots each common $26 million per 12 months. Lawrence can’t settle for that he’s far under these two gamers. The Giants are keen to add assured cash into an extension, however Lawrence’s asking worth may prove to be exorbitant. The participant, supported by his household, is drawing a line within the sand.
Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs is the highest-paid defensive sort out in soccer. The common annual worth of his deal is $31.75 million. Jones’ base wage for 2026 is $19 million, with a $16 million roster bonus guaranteeing he’ll make $35 million in 2026. Jordan Davis of the Philadelphia Eagles and Milton Williams of the New England Patriots have contract with common annual values of $26 million.
Advertisement
That would appear to depart room for a deal to be made within the common annual worth vary of $27-30 million. Whether that’s what Lawrence needs, or what the Giants are keen to supply, is unknown.
If negotiations don’t end in an settlement, the Giants could be keen to commerce Lawrence, and their asking worth would begin at a first-round decide within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Schwartz mentioned the Giants would need both a top-10 decide within the 2026 NFL Draft plus yet another decide, or a later first-round decide and a number of extra belongings.
Considering that the reporting has indicated that groups haven’t been calling GM Joe Schoen to make affords, which may not be a practical ask.
That would additionally point out that whereas the draft won’t be a tough deadline, it might certainly be a tipping level.
It stands to purpose the Giants are not looking for to set a precedent, realizing that ceding to the calls for of a participant with two years remaining on his current contract might open the floodgates for related requests down the road. “Well, you did it for Dex’’ would be the players’ rationale. The Giants also know they must protect themselves from investing too much in a player who might be on the downside, was overweight in 2025 and coming off a subpar season. The Giants cannot look as if they capitulated to a player already under contract and hurt their salary cap space down the road.
Lawrence is a popular, respected player in the locker room. John Harbaugh is not handling the negotiating, but the Giants successfully navigating this is important for the new coach.
It is not exactly a secret that Lawrence and general manager Joe Schoen do not see eye-to-eye in this situation. Harbaugh is as strong a head coach as there is in the league, and it would come as no surprise if he kept the lines of communication open with Joel Segal, Lawrence’s agent. Harbaugh can be a persuasive salesman, but he has no real relationship with Lawrence. Getting Harbaugh in a room with Lawrence could be beneficial for the Giants, but agents often do not permit that to happen, and that likely is the case here.
This is an idea I have head a few times recently. It probably would be helpful. Harbaugh indicated at the beginning of the voluntary offseason program, though, that Segal was indeed standing in the way of such a conversation. We will have to see if that stance softens.
Advertisement
As for the relationship between Schoen and Lawrence, I don’t believe it is about the contract. The deal Lawrence got from Schoen is 2024 was a solid one that made him the third-highest defensive tackle in the league at the time.
Lawrence was hurt when Schoen traded his best friend on the team, Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks. I’m not sure Lawrence has ever gotten over that, especially after also watching players like Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, and Julian Love leave.
Neither side can walk away from this feeling embarrassed with the outcome. The Giants cannot write a blank check, and they cannot settle for a trade that brings back a meager return, knowing that would not sit well with the fan base. Lawrence’s camp cannot settle for a deal that is not market value, even though Lawrence is not on the open market. It is likely Lawrence is not acknowledging that he is not a free agent and thus cannot expect the Giants to overpay to keep him.
The fact that Lawrence has chosen this fight and is reportedly so deeply dug in despite not having the free agency card until 2028 makes this even more difficult. Negotiations that give both sides something they want require compromise. Will Lawrence come off his “line in the sand?” How far are the Giants keen to go?
If no deal or commerce occurs, issues might get sticky. There aren’t any indications that Lawrence, who was not a contented camper final season, would chalk this up to “just business” and are available in motivated to have an important 12 months. The sight of Lawrence on the facility however not taking part in practices will not be a situation anybody needs. Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin usually mentioned, “I would like volunteers, not hostages.’’ That might apply right here.
The Giants will probably be hauling lots of tools to West Virginia this summer time. They don’t want 350 kilos of sad baggage inflicting a distraction throughout Harbaugh’s first coaching camp. Cross your figers that that is resolved by then. It sounds prefer it won’t be.