On Wednesday night, plenty of people were taken aback when news broke that Dexter Lawrence won't be attending the start of the offseason program. Why? He's not happy about his contract situation with the NY Giants.
We don't blame Sexy Dexy for that one bit. He has seen other defensive tackles land their major paydays, and now he's ready for his as well. This is something the G-Men and Joe Schoen know they need to get done as soon as possible.
The fact of the matter is that Lawrence probably didn't want to risk potentially injuring himself without a long-term extension in place. He'd lose any kind of leverage on a new deal if he did. But make no mistake about it folks, a Lawrence extension will be coming sooner than later.
Giants have been planning extension for Dexter Lawrence since season ended. They've been in negotiations, and with two other DT mega deals signed (Simmons, Payne), it's going to happen for Dex.
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) April 13, 2023
No sense for him to risk injury at voluntary workouts prior to deal being agreed upon
A Dexter Lawrence extension should be coming soon from the Giants
We could not agree with Art Stapleton more here. Lawrence simply can't be replaced for the Giants defense. He's coming off the best season of his career, which led to All-Pro honors. Lawrence was the best player for NY on defense in 2022. Now, he's going to look to be even better in 2023.
It's up in the air how much he's looking to get in a new deal, but would four years and $75-80 million be enough to get him to sign on the dotted line? We think so. Lawrence is entering the fifth year of his young career, which would set him up for free agency next offseeason.
This is something Schoen is fully aware of, and it's something he's not going to let happen either. There would be riots in East Rutherford if Sexy Dexy signed with a new team in 2024. In order for that to not happen, an extension needs to get done. Don't be surprised if it happens in the near future. The Giants will prioritize this, no doubt.
READ MORE: What could a Dexter Lawrence extension look like for the Giants?