Bills Pursuit of Dexter Lawrence Gets Green Light After Giants Joe Schoen's Comments

The Buffalo Bills are one of the many teams rumored to be in pursuit of New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who recently requested a trade.

After Giants general manager Joe Schoen spoke with the media on Tuesday ahead of the NFL Draft, teams like the Bills were given the green light to make an offer for the former All-Pro. Schoen revealed that while the Giants and Lawrence have had “productive conversations,” New York is still considering proposals for Lawrence with the draft set to begin on Apr. 23.

“I’m always gonna pick up the phone,” said Schoen. “If a team calls … that is my job as general manager, if teams call, you take into account it’s a case-by-case basis in what the compensation may be. That’s my job to take into consideration what that looks like.”

A prospective team hoping to swing a deal for Lawrence would likely have to spend at least a first-round pick to do so. The Bills hold the No. 26 pick and six other selections in the upcoming draft and could bring in an immediate contributor by flipping a pick or two into the perennial Pro Bowler.

Strong production

New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen fields questions from reporters during a press conference introducing new Head Coach John Harbaugh. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As far as what the seven-year veteran would bring to the table in Buffalo, Lawrence’s track record speaks for itself. While playing in all 17 games a season ago, Lawrence was on the field for 68% of the Giants’ defensive snaps while eating up double teams at an incredible rate.

Of his 440 pass rush attempts, Lawrence faced a double team on 61.2% of them, according to Next Gen Stats, which explains why he finished the year with just a .5 sack a year ago after recording nine the year prior. However, it’s no secret how Giants linebacker Brian Burns recorded a career-high 16.5-sack season in 2025, a 7.5-sack improvement from the previous campaign.

Lawrence would not only fit as an elite run-stuffer in the center of new Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s odd-man front, but he would present a pass-rushing presence of his own while opening things up for the players around him to flourish.

Buffalo added a new prized pass rusher, Bradley Chubb, through free agency this offseason and will return 2025 leadingsack-getter Greg Rousseau. Bringing Lawrence in would help supplement their efforts while taking the Bills’ defensive line as a whole to a dominant level.

The cost

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) gestures during a Thursday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If there was ever a perfect situation for Brandon Beane to make a big move, it’s with his former assistant GM, Schoen, and the Giants for one of the league’s premier interior defenders. Lawrence is under contract for two more seasons at a relatively reasonable rate, but he is reportedly set to request $30 million per season from the team that acquires him.

With the Bills’ salary cap situation, that may be a tough pill to swallow. Additionally, as stated previously, Buffalo would have to give up some high-level draft compensation and perhaps a player in return for Lawrence’s services.

The Bills drafted DT T.J. Sanders in the second round of last year’s draft, and perhaps he would interest the Giants in a potential trade. New York has spent only one draft selection on a defensive tackle over the past two seasons and may benefit from adding a young player to their pipeline.

Whatever the cost may be, within reason, a player of Lawrence’s caliber is well worth it, and Buffalo should take the swing, particularly after New York’s GM laid out the welcome mat on Tuesday.

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