New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence fueled NFL trade rumors on Monday when the three-time Pro Bowl selection requested a transfer from the team. As he and the Giants try to resolve their differences, NFL teams around the league are speculating what a deal could look like for the All-Pro defensive lineman.
ESPN's Giants reporter Jordan Raanan reported Tuesday that the consensus he had received from sources around the league was that New York's potential return in a Lawrence trade would be a late first-round pick or an early second-round pick.
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"He's super, super important. He's a cornerstone football player — not really a cornerstone, like a middle stone. He's right in the middle. He's a huge stone, and he's very active, athletic."
New York Giants HC John Harbaugh on Dexter Lawrence in March (h/t ESPN)
While New York is one of the deepest teams in the NFL, it's a much different story internally. If Lawrence were traded, the team would rely on players like Darius Alexander and Roy Robertson-Harris to play a significant percentage of the snaps. This would be a huge blow defensively.
That's not even to mention the fact that this would create a new need that has to be addressed in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York doesn't have a ton of draft capital for starters, having only two top-100 selections along with four of the first 150 selections. With the club already having to address the linebackers, wide receivers, cornerbacks and offensive line, trading Lawrence would mean creating a void somewhere that can't be adequately filled.
To make matters worse, the 2026 NFL Draft class is not particularly strong. A late first-round pick this year could have been a second-day pick last year, and the talent pool in the 25-45 range is largely the same. On a purely return basis, New York almost certainly won't be able to come close to Lawrence's impact.
The best option for the Giants is to resolve this contract dispute with Lawrence, finding terms that will work for him on a long-term deal. Given that the team has a starting quarterback, wide receiver and two edge rushers who are still playing on rookie-level contracts, they also have the financial flexibility to give Lawrence both a pay raise and more guaranteed money.
