For years, Dexter Lawrence has been the anchor at the heart of the Giants' defensive line. But as the 2026 offseason approaches, the atmosphere in East Rutherford is shifting from celebration to strategic planning.
Lawrence faces a pivotal moment with a $26.9 million cap hit-the second-highest on the team-and a 2025 season that left many questioning if the former All-Pro has reached his peak.
While trade rumors swirl online, with suggestions of deals involving the Bengals or Bears, Dan Duggan from The Athletic offers a more stable path forward.
Could the Giants Extend Dexter Lawrence this Offseason?
Duggan proposes that instead of dismantling their foundation, the Giants should consider a two-year, $56 million extension for Lawrence.
“Topping the $26 million average annual salary Milton Williams secured from the Patriots in free agency last offseason is a fair outcome. With Lawrence already signed through 2027, a two-year extension worth $56 million would give him a $28 million average annual salary in the added years,” Duggan argued.
The financial reasoning is clear. By adding two years at a $28 million average annual value, the Giants can restructure his 2026 base salary into a signing bonus. This could significantly reduce his $26.9 million cap hit, freeing up $10-$12 million in immediate cap space.
“Beyond rewarding one of the team’s best players, another benefit of extending Lawrence would be lowering his $27 million cap hit in 2026. The Giants could easily create a few million in cap savings by spreading the cap charge from a signing bonus evenly throughout a new four-year deal,” Duggan wrote.
With less than $5 million in available cap space, this maneuver could enable the Giants to re-sign Jermaine Eluemunor or target a top free agent. It turns a problematic contract into a strategic asset for roster building.
While this move aims to ease the cap crunch, the risk of committing to a potentially declining star can't be ignored.
Lawrence’s 2025 stats are concerning for someone once considered elite among interior defenders. After a strong 2024 season with nine sacks, he ended 2025 with just 0.5 sacks and 31 tackles-his lowest since 2021.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) still valued his presence, giving him a solid 75.6 overall grade (9th among DIs), but his pass-rush productivity dropped to a career-low 3.3% pressure rate. While some blame a lingering elbow injury and lack of support, there’s concern that at 28 years old and 340 pounds, the physical demands are catching up.
However, Lawrence was recovering from an elbow injury that required surgery and sidelined him for five games in 2024. If fully healthy in 2026, he could return to his dominant form from 2023 and 2024.
Season Overview:
- 2025: 17 GP, 31 Tackles, 0.5 Sacks, 8 QB Hits, 34 Pressures, 75.6 PFF Grade, 9th/134
- 2024: 12 GP, 44 Tackles, 9.0 Sacks, 16 QB Hits, 63 Pressures, 89.9 PFF Grade, 3rd/130
- 2023: 16 GP, 53 Tackles, 4.5 Sacks, 21 QB Hits, 65 Pressures, 92.1 PFF Grade, 2nd/130
The Extension Math: Lowering Lawrence’s $27M Cap Hit
Despite the financial upside of an extension, some advocate for trading Lawrence, spurred by Bleacher Report's suggestion of a 2026 second-round pick from the Bengals.
The argument is straightforward: trade high before any further decline. However, as Duggan notes, the Giants recently watched Leonard Williams win a Super Bowl with the Seahawks at age 31 after a trade that many deemed undervalued.
Under John Harbaugh and DC Dennard Wilson, the plan is to craft an aggressive defensive front. Trading Lawrence now would leave a significant gap in that vision-a gap a mid-round pick can’t fill.
Extending him isn’t just about cap relief; it’s a wager that the “real” Dexter Lawrence is the dominant force we saw in 2024, not the player from last fall.