The John Harbaugh Era is off to a bumpy start in New York, as star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence recently requested a trade. A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Lawrence has established himself as one of the game’s premier defensive tackles and remains at the top of his game as he enters his age-29 season. There’s a strong case to be made that he’s the best player on the Giants, but he feels his contract doesn’t reflect that. He’s running out of guaranteed money, and negotiations for a new deal reportedly fell through earlier in the week.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports and Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Dexter Lawrence actively wants a trade and would prefer to start anew in a new environment. While money can fix all woes, there’s a real chance the Giants trade their star defensive tackle in the coming days. A trade during the NFL Draft is reasonably likely, and one of the following three teams could acquire the three-time Pro Bowler.
Dexter Lawrence Wants Trade, One Could Materialize In NFL Draft
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have one of the league’s better defenses, but they could use some help on the interior defensive line. The team struggled to stop the run last year, surrendering the second-most rushing touchdowns and third-most yards per carry in football last year. While stopping the run isn’t as important as stopping the pass, it’s great to have a defense that can do both. A Dexter Lawrence trade would immediately fix the biggest weakness on the defense, which is crucial for a Bills team looking to reclaim the division crown from a revitalized New England Patriots organization.
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh believes games are won and lost in the trenches. While the Chargers spent the offseason bolstering a terrible offensive line, they haven’t added that much talent to the defensive line. The team has some solid defensive tackles under contract, a Dexter Lawrence trade would give them a legitimate game-changing talent along the interior. Seeing as the Chargers play in arguably the NFL’s toughest division, they’ll need all the help they can get to return to the playoffs and earn the first postseason win of Justin Herbert’s career.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears and head coach Ben Johnson have the offensive firepower to go blow-for-blow with any team in the league. However, winning in shootouts is not a sustainable way to play football, and the team cannot bank on pulling off so many last-second miracles for a second straight season. While the offense is loaded with playmakers, the defense could use an infusion of talent. Quarterback Caleb Williams is still on his rookie contract, so now is the time for the Bears to go all-in, trade for Dexter Lawrence, and pursue their first Lombardi Trophy since the 1980s.
