Proposed Bills-Dexter Lawrence Trade Would Be a Major Win for Buffalo

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade. While many teams can use his services, the Buffalo Bills stand out as an ideal landing spot.

Buffalo has a championship-caliber roster, but there are a couple of areas they can improve. One is in the middle of the defense, where they struggled against the run in 2025.

New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is confident they can turn things around, but it would make his life easier to add Lawrence. The question is how much it would take to land the 340-pounder in a trade.

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton attempts to answer that question by identifying each potential landing spot while predicting the trade package New York would receive for Lawrence. For Buffalo, he proposes they send a 2026 3rd-round pick, 2026 5th-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. Without a pick in Round 2 this season, the Bills have to dip into their 2027 class.

As Moton says, the Bills are already contenders, but Lawrence would fix their “one glaring weakness.” He also states that Lawrence can generate a pass rush in the middle, helping Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb on the outside.

”The Bills are a Super Bowl contender with one glaring weakness on defense. In free agency, Buffalo didn't adequately address the interior of its defensive line after ranking 28th in rushing yards allowed and giving up the second-most rushing touchdowns and the third-most yards per carry last season,” Moton wrote.

“The Bills can solve their biggest problem with a trade for Lawrence, who can plug the middle and generate an interior pass rush to complement edge-rushers Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb.”

Could the Bills afford Dexter Lawrence?

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The price Moton suggests to acquire Lawrence is worth it for the 28-year-old defender, but the Bills would need to do some work to get his salary under the cap.

With $12.3 million in cap space, Buffalo would have to restructure some of their contracts to afford his $26.958 million cap hit for the 2026 season. They can free up $11.3 million by restructuring Dion Dawkins, but would likely need to extend Lawrence as well. That would lower his hit for 2026, allowing general manager Brandon Beane to truly bolster the defense.

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