4 contract decisions that will pay off for the NY Giants

2. Extending Dexter Lawrence for less than you'd think

One of the biggest needs this offseason was extending All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Many thought that Lawrence's deal would come close to resetting the market for interior defensive linemen. Instead, however, Lawrence signed for just four years, $90 million. This is still a lot, but considering that Jefferey Simmons got four years, $94 million, it's clear that Lawrence took a bit of a pay cut to help the team.

Regardless of whether Simmons or Lawrence is better, they are both arguably top three players at their position. This makes it rather surprising to see Lawrence get less than Simmons. Alongside this, just like Waller and Jones, Lawrence also has an opt-out following the 2025 season. While we doubt the Giants will use this, we're glad to see it there in case something unforeseen happens in the future.

Lawrence is not only the best player on the Giants' defense, but arguably the best player on the entire team as well. New York could not afford to let him walk following the '23 season. So for Schoen to not only extend Lawrence, but to do so without resetting the market is inexplicably huge for the future of the Giants.

Keep in mind, Lawrence is just 25 and is only going to get better. The fact that his deal wasn't record-breaking is incredibly shocking. It really seems like this deal could be considered a steal in the next couple of years.