Report: Giants All-Pro Dexter Lawrence requests trade, won’t report to offseason program

The New York Giants are set to begin their offseason program this week. However, they’ll do so without one of the most important pieces of their defense. 

According to ESPN, All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and will not report to workouts as contract talks remain stalled. Per the report, Lawrence and the organization have spent the past two offseasons attempting to negotiate a deal that reflects his value, but little progress has been made. 

Despite having two years remaining on his current contract, including a $20 million salary for the upcoming season, the lack of movement has now led to a breaking point. Initially, there was optimism that changes within the organization could help jumpstart negotiations. 

Instead, the situation has gone in the opposite direction, with Lawrence opting to apply pressure ahead of a critical offseason for the franchise. That leaves new head coach John Harbaugh in a difficult spot before even taking the field for offseason activities.

“How important is he? Really important,” Harbaugh said back in February, per ESPN. “He’s super, super important. He’s a cornerstone football player — not really a cornerstone, more like the middle stone. He’s right in the middle. He’s a very big stone, and he’s a very active, athletic one.”

General manager Joe Schoen acknowledged just last week that discussions surrounding Lawrence’s contract were ongoing, noting the team has explored various ways to manage cap space and extensions: “Yeah, again, we have a lot of those conversations as we continue to build,” Schoen said. 

“Could we do an extension with other players? What does that look like? So we’re always having those conversations, not only with Dexter but on other players.”

Moreover, Lawrence, 28, has been one of the Giants’ most consistent and dominant defenders since being selected No. 17 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Over his career, he’s earned three Pro Bowl selections and two second-team All-Pro honors, establishing himself as one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the league.

However, 2025 marked a downturn statistically. The former Clemson star finished with just half a sack, eight quarterback hits and an 8.3% pass rush win rate on a team that struggled to a 4-13 record.

Even so, his overall body of work, including 30.5 career sacks and a reputation as a disruptive force in the middle, makes him a foundational player. And now, with negotiations at a standstill, the Giants are facing the possibility of losing exactly that.