Bears Named One of the Most Likely Landing Spots For Dexter Lawrence

Dexter Lawrence might be coming off a down year, but he's still one of the league's top game-wreckers when he's at his best.

Pro Football Focus might be a complete sham based on recent events (if you didn't know, they fired practically everyone who made them who they are last week), but they were still a mostly credible source for grading offensive and defensive linemen before the recent cuts. Despite only having a half-sack on the season, Lawrence managed to grade out as the league's ninth-ranked defensive tackle (75.6 grade).

He's also only 28 and two years removed from a season with nine sacks and eight tackles for loss. It feels safe to assume he will bounce back strong in 2026.

The only question is whether that bounce-back campaign will come as a member of the Giants. ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that he requested a trade out of New York after contract negotiations broke down.

ESPN sources: Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and he will not be participating in the team’s off-season workout program that opens Tuesday.

Lawrence and the Giants have been through two off seasons attempting to negotiate a contract… pic.twitter.com/WUSTNxmeGh
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 6, 2026

We noted recently the Bears were immediately considered a team to keep an eye on. While they signed three defensive tackles this offseason, two (James Lynch and Kentavius Street) were signed for near veteran minimum salaries, and the third (Neville Gallimore) is a fraction of the player that Lawrence is, even on his best day.

Needless to say, the defensive tackle position is still somewhat of a question mark. Lawrence would make it an exclamation point. Emphatically.

Dexter Lawrence celebrates a play — Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

We're not the only ones who think the Bears make a lot of sense as a potential landing spot, either. NFL.com senior news writer Kevin Patra also thinks Chicago is one of his most likely destinations.

"Chicago has a glaring hole in the middle of its defense and has not upgraded the pass rush significantly this offseason," Patra wrote. "A trade for Lawrence would solve both in one swoop. The veteran’s run defense was down last year, but in Dennis Allen’s defense, his penetrating ability would be an ideal fit. After a magical year, in which they were ahead of the curve in Ben Johnson’s first season, this is the type of move a rising team should make to ensure they don’t fall back."

While I'm not as ambitious about Lawrence being a perfect fit for Dennis Allen's defense (he historically preferred smaller, quicker defensive tackles during his days in New Orleans), I agree with everything else he said. Lawrence would be the perfect addition to improve both the run defense, where they gave up the sixth-most yards in the league, and the ailing pass rush, where they finished tied for the seventh-fewest sacks in the league (35).

In short, he's a rare player where scheme fit doesn't matter. Plug him in on any defensive line in the league, and he'll automatically make everyone in the defensive front better.

What would it take for the Bears to trade for Dexter Lawrence?

That's the big question (one of them, anyway). Early reports indicate that he would probably fetch a first or second-rounder in a deal.

Asked around the league and the general consensus appears to be that IF the Giants were willing to trade Dexter Lawrence the return would be in the range of late first-round pick to second-rounder.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) April 6, 2026

Honestly, that's not bad. The Jets traded Quinnen Williams for a first-rounder, a second-rounder, and 2023 first-round selection Mazi Smith ahead of the trade deadline last season. Williams is not a markedly better player than Lawrence, and he's the exact same age.

Lawrence is seemingly being discounted after a down 2025 season. His size and speed off the snap makes him an interior game-wrecker for Dennis Allen's defensive scheme. That fact makes him an especially enticing option, even with a new contract on the horizon.

He's still locked in through the 2027 season, and the team that lands him technically wouldn't have to re-commit to him long-term immediately (although it feels safe to assume that will be the case).

The Bears would need to make some room to restructure a few contracts to make a deal possible, as their back is against the wall when it comes to the salary cap. With that said, they haven't even remotely dipped their toes into those waters yet. They have plenty of wiggle room to make that happen.

Personally, I'd welcome a blockbuster for Big Dex as long as they're not getting in a bidding war for his services. He's the type of player that you should swing for the fences on while you've got a quarterback on a rookie contract.

Even if he were only a two-year rental, that would be worth parting ways with a second-round pick and someone like Gervon Dexter, who has already been the subject of trade conversations this offseason and will likely hit free agency next year anyway.