10 Most Indispensable New York Giants: No. 2 Has Emerged as a Cornerstone on Defense
Dexter Lawrence, DL
Height: 6-foot-4| Weight: 342 lbs.
College: Clemson | NFL Exp: 4 years
Career Stats: GP: 64 / GS: 57. 213 tackles (116 solo), 16.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles.
On March 13, 2019, the New York Giants traded wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr to the Cleveland Browns for defensive back Jabril Peppers, a 2019 first-round pick (17th overall), and a 2019 third-rounder (95th overall). Roughly a month later, the Giants would use that 17th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to select defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II. Since then, Lawrence has developed into one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.
Lawrence was immediately deployed as a full-time starter as a rookie, appearing in all 16 games. He would finish with a total of 38 total tackles, 30 pressures, 24 stops, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. In his sophomore season, Lawrence again played in all 16 games, starting 15 of them. Despite the small drop in reps (he played a career-low 655 snaps), Lawrence still managed to produce at a high level, finishing the 2020 season with 53 total tackles, 29 pressures, and four sacks.
By his fourth season in 2022, Lawrence had himself a career season. Starting in 16 games, he finished first on the team in pressures (70), sacks (7.5), stops (42), and had a career-high two forced fumbles. This not only led Lawrence to be selected to his first Pro Bowl, but he was also named Second-Team All-Pro.
Because of Lawrence’s incredible showing in 2022, the 25-year-old inked a new four-year $90 million deal with $60 million guaranteed in May and will be a cornerstone of that Giants defense for years to come.
Top 10 Indispensable Players
No. 10: Kayvon Thibodeaux | No. 9: Leonard Williams | No. 8: Bobby OkerekeNo. 7: Adoree' Jackson | No. 6: Xavier McKinney | No. 5: TE Darren Waller | No. 4: RB Saquon Barkley | No. 3: QB Daniel Jones
Why He’s Indispensable
When you evaluate a player in the NFL, particularly when determining why they’re indispensable or not, you must implement the elimination process. Not only does it provide context, but it also highlights the player's impact on their team.
When it comes to Lawrence, this is quite easy to do. Last season, the Giants ranked 13th in the league in sacks (41) and were 16th in sacks per pass attempt (7.22), with Lawrence’s team-leading 7.5 sacks and 70 pressures over 16 games started.
Should he have sustained any injury setbacks that would’ve limited him to three or more games, the Giants success rate and influence with their pressure might not have nearly been as good, and that’s with the fact that they were the highest blitzing defense last season (39.7 percent).
In addition, Lawrence’s impact against the run was significant, as he led the Giants defense with 32 run stops. Take Lawrence’s production out of the equation, and you’re left with a softer defensive line that would have struggled to contain the run even more.
But Lawrence’s numbers are bigger than just his ability to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks and stuff the run, highlighting another more challenging value in this league: good health and consistency.
Lawrence has played or started in 16 games every single season he’s been with the Giants, and with each season, he’s continued to improve and elevate his talent. If one can stay healthy in the NFL, it can go a long way with just how much a player can fulfill his potential.
Lawrence’s talent and physical skill set aren’t easy to replace in the NFL. Though you might be able to find someone of like size and maybe similar strength, Lawrence has shaped into the complete package you want in the middle of your defensive line and is only starting to enter his prime. Despite being 342 pounds, Lawrence moves much quicker for his size, using his strength, agility, and technical skills with his hands to apply pressure and forced stops in the backfield, like not many other talents in the NFL.
What Happens if He’s Missing?
Though the Giants have the likes of A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches to pick up the slack should anything keep Lawrence away from the field, neither of those players has the skill set or track record to replicate the kind of production Lawrence is capable of, highlighting simply how indispensable he truly is for the Giants.
Robinson is predominantly a run-stopper, and since posting his career-high 44 stops with the Rams in 2021, he has struggled to regain that same kind of output, partly due to injuries.
Nunez-Roches showed some upside in Tampa Bay last season, posting a career-high in sacks (2). But he’s not an ideal replacement as an every-down lineman that can rush the passer.
The Giants don't appear to have a suitable backup to do all that Lawrence can. As a result, the Giants are treading a fine line with hoping Lawrence can produce another healthy and full season.
Final Thoughts
The biggest obstacle for Lawrence is being able to match, if not surpass, what he achieved last season. With a new contract making him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the NFL, Lawrence is facing a lot of pressure to produce at a high level and has yet to slip up with his growth over his first four seasons.
Lawrence is a reassuring investment because he’s only 25 years old and has yet to fully enter his prime. But with so many variables (production, new contract, role and responsibility, health, etc.) added onto his plate, Lawrence is truly facing his biggest test yet in his young career.
Though his track record has shown how great he can be, these hurdles separate the good from the great players in this league, and Lawrence will have to show everyone again why last season was not a result based on coincidence.
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