Reports: Giants' Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade
Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence walks off the field after a game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025. Credit: Ed Murray
Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and won’t be at the team’s offseason program starting Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Lawrence has two years remaining on his $90 million contract extension he signed in 2023. He’s set to make at least $20 million this upcoming season but is coming off a year where he had just a half-sack, a career-low.
At the time of the extension, Lawrence’s $22.5 million average annual salary made him the NFL’s third-highest paid defensive tackle. Now, his average salary ranks tied for 11th at his position.
Lawrence and Darius Slayton are the Giants’ longest-tenured current players. Since the Giants drafted him No. 17 overall in 2019, Lawrence has also been one of the team’s best players.
In seven seasons, Lawrence has 30.5 sacks, made three Pro Bowls and was selected to two All-Pro second teams. He had a career-high nine sacks in 2024, despite that season being cut short after 12 games due to a dislocated left elbow.
That was his only season he played fewer than 16 games. Lawrence played every game last season and while he denied the elbow injury affected his play, his numbers dropped off. He had just eight quarterback hits and four tackles for loss, his second fewest in a season.
Still, his ability to command double teams benefited his teammates. Linebacker Brian Burns credited the attention Lawrence gets as a factor in having a career-high 16 1/2 sacks last season.
The news presents the first major challenge for new coach John Harbaugh. As players check in, Harbaugh won’t have one of his key players in the building while he looks to set a tone for a team coming off a 4-13 season.
At the NFL meetings last month, general manager Joe Schoen said the team had discussions with Lawrence but didn’t commit yet to offering a new deal.
“We have a lot of those conversations as we continue to build, or to your point, like open up money, like, where can we do it?” Schoen said. “Could we do an extension with other players? What does that look like? So we're always having those conversations, not only with Dexter, but on other players, and that's part of our mapping out the offseason.”
The Giants also need depth at defensive tackle after being 31st in rushing defense and last in opponent yards per carry. They didn’t address it much in free agency aside from signing Sam Roberts from the Falcons to a one-year deal.
It gives Lawrence more leverage with his demands. Harbaugh also emphasized Lawrence’s importance to the team at the NFL Combine.
"How important is he? Really important," Harbaugh told reporters in February. "He's super, super important. He's a cornerstone football player — not really a cornerstone, more like the middle stone. He's right in the middle. He's a very big stone, and he's a very active, athletic one.”
Now the Giants’ front office must decide how to show how valuable Lawrence is. Since Lawrence signed his deal, his salary was surpassed by players like the Eagles’ Jordan Davis and the Patriots’ Milton Williams.
Lawrence is also well respected by his peers, He was named 17th in last year’s NFL Top 100 players list that was voted on by the players.
The Giants faced a similar situation in summer of 2023 with another star player. Saquon Barkley asked for a trade after he didn’t receive a long-term deal. Co-owner John Mara refused the demand as was shown in Barkley’s documentary “Saquon” last year.
The Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley earlier that March. A year later, he signed with the Eagles in free agency. It may or may not be precedent for Lawrence seeking a bigger deal.
But his trade demand means the Giants face a critical decision two weeks before the NFL Draft.
Giants sign OL Patrick
The Giants signed offensive lineman Lucas Patrick on Monday, the team announced. Patrick signed a one-year deal, according to a league source.
Patrick played nine seasons and has experience at both guard and center. Last season, Patrick played six games at center, with one start, for the Bengals.
In 2024, he started 10 games at left guard for the Saints, a year after starting 15 games for the Bears. Patrick also spent his first five seasons with the Packers.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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