If you could name one player on the New York Giants who had a disappointing season last year, Dexter Lawrence would be a fair answer.
In what was undoubtedly his worst season in the NFL, Lawrence had just half a sack combined in all 17 games he started (yes, you read that correctly). The three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle was just not himself in 2025 as he failed to build off his career-best nine-sack season he had just the year prior.
With that disappointing season out of the former first-round pick, of course, trade talks will begin to swirl this offseason, especially with a new coaching regime led by John Harbaugh in full swing for the Giants. And while it's fair to say Lawrence's future in New York may not be clear, would a potential trade involving the 28-year-old pass rusher not sit well with Giants fans?
This "dream offseason trade scenario" involving Dexter Lawrence may not be popular among Giants fans
In an article for Bleacher Report, Moe Moton listed "dream offseason trade scenarios" for each team in the NFL involving Pro Bowl players. One of those scenarios was Moton having the Cincinnati Bengals trade for Lawrence, which can only be seen as a middle finger to the Giants' pass rusher, even after his disappointing 2025 season.
"In 2025, the Cincinnati Bengals gave up the most rushing yards and allowed the second-most yards per carry (5.2). They need to bolster their defensive line, especially with Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai set to become free agents," Moton wrote.
"Even if the Bengals re-sign Hendrickson and/or Ossai, they can beef up the interior of their defensive line with a 300-plus-pounder who stops the run and disrupts the opposing team's passing game with pressure between the guards.
Lawrence had a down 2025 campaign, logging a half-sack and four tackles for loss, but he recorded career highs in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (eight) two years ago. If the Bengals get the 2024 version of him, they would field a more stout defense than in years past," Moton added.
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If you want to compete for a playoff spot in 2026 and beyond with a winning and, not to mention, Super Bowl champion head coach in John Harbaugh, trading one of your most elite pass rushers over the last several seasons is not the solution.
While Lawrence's lack of sacks this past season was certainly concerning, the three-time Pro Bowler is still elite and can provide lots of pressure up front for a pass rush that already has Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter.
Yes, a shake-up and change, and player personnel and culture may be needed this offseason with a new head coach in the building, but trading one of your best players on the defensive side of the ball is not the best course of action.