3 Reasons Why Buffalo Bills Should Avoid Dexter Lawrence Trade

Stalwart New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence requested a trade on Monday, and while it may make sense for the Buffalo Bills to pursue him, there is also a strong argument against such a move.

It would likely cost multiple early draft picks to land the three-time Pro Bowler. While he would do wonders for a defense that ranked fifth-worst in the NFL against the run and tallied only one sack in two playoff games in 2025, the price may be too high.

Buffalo should look both to history and its current roster to gauge whether acquiring Lawrence makes sense, and three key factors argue against it.

Young defensive line depth

The Bills have invested significant draft capital on the defensive line over the past two years. T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson and DeWayne Carter were all Day 2 picks, and while they have either struggled or dealt with injuries, they could reach their potential in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's scheme.

Deone Walker, Buffalo's fourth-round pick in 2025 who started 16 games as a rookie, could also benefit from the new system after a strong first season.

Ed Oliver played in only three games in 2025 due to bicep and meniscus injuries. If similar issues arise in 2026, Buffalo may need to show faith in its younger players to justify its investments.

Other needs require early attention

Nov 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

If the Bills pursue Lawrence, they would likely be left without another early draft pick after trading their second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver DJ Moore. That could be detrimental given other roster needs.

Even after acquiring Moore, Buffalo could use its first-round pick on another wide receiver to complement him, tight end Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir, who was the only Bills player to top 700 receiving yards in 2025. Adding another weapon could lead to career-best numbers for Josh Allen.

It's not just Buffalo's roster needs that complicate a trade for Lawrence, but also the track record of large contracts for defensive linemen.

Bad track record for big defensive lineman contracts

Oct 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Albert Haynesworth's seven-year, $100 million contract with Washington in 2009 is the prime example of a big defensive lineman contract flaming out. More recently, Christian Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, but played in just five games for the team before being released the following offseason after a Jones fracture.

Lawrence is in the third year of a four-year, $87.5 million deal he signed with the Giants in 2024, and his production dropped from nine sacks in 2024 to just half a sack in 2025. That decline could be a harbinger of things to come.

Overall, Buffalo has a case to go after Lawrence, but there are enough red flags that signal the move may not be worth the risk.