Dexter Lawrence Reportedly "Done" with NY Giants

Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence’s unhappiness with the New York Giants apparently runs much deeper than his contract situation.

That comes from two separate reports, one by CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones and the other by the New York Post, both of which reported that Lawrence wants out of New York regardless.

The Post reported that talks about a new contract have not only broken off, but there are no new talks on the immediate horizon.

Lawrence was initially believed to want a pay raise after seeing his APY of $22.5 million fall out of the top five at his position to No. 12.

The Giants, on the other hand, do not seem to be in any hurry to get a new deal done with Lawrence, who has two years remaining on his current deal.

As for Lawrence's request for a trade, again, the Giants don’t appear to be in any hurry to make that happen, certainly not for the sake of appeasing the player.

For the Giants to move Lawrence, they’d have to get a study compensation package that would include at minimum a first-round draft pick and then some.

That could be a sticking point for teams who, like the Giants, are aware of Lawrence’s down year last season, one that some attribute to the elbow injury he dealt with for the entire year.

The Post reported that the Giants haven’t had any calls for Lawrence in the last five days, suggesting that the market for the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro isn’t necessarily as robust as his side might have hoped it would be, especially given the lack of blue-chip talent at the position in this year’s draft.

The Giants hold the cards

In addition to his struggles last year, which were widely linked to his not being healthy, Lawrence is seeking to have his APY adjusted to reflect his resume.

The drawback here is timing. Although teams can make financial room under the cap for him if they really feel he’s the missing piece, would Lawrence accept less if it meant getting away from the team that he’s been with since 2019, when he was plucked 17th overall in that year’s draft?

And again,there’s the matter of compensation. A first-round pick has to be a part of the package. But does the fact that the giants haven’t had any known serious offers for the former Clemson defender suggest that the league doesn’t view him as the game wrecker he once was?

The Giants, under new head coach John Harbaugh, believe they can be a postseason team, and if they were to not have Lawrence in the middle of that defense, that road could become a lot harder.

Harbaugh told reporters that he has had some preliminary talks with Lawrence, but that of late, he’s been out of that loop while general manager Joe Schoen and Vice President of Football Operations Dawn Aponte deal with Lawrence's agent, Joel Segal.

The bottom line is that the Giants hold the cards in this matter. Lawrence has two years remaining on the contract he signed two years ago, and unless he plans to sit out the coming season if he is not traded, he’d be forfeiting $19.5 million in salary and bonuses.

Unless the Giants get the deal they want for him, which as of right now doesn’t appear to be likely, his only options are to either sit out the season or buckle up, sit down with Harbaugh, and buy into the new program the coach is trying to install in East Rutherford.

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