4 Giants leaders who must step up with the season feeling like a lost cause

2. DT Dexter Lawrence

The most dominant player on the Giants' defensive line is Dexter Lawrence. Sexy Dexy earned All-Pro honors last year and turned that into a four-year extension worth $90 million. Lawrence had an incredible 2022, posting career highs in tackles (68), sacks (7.5), tackles for loss (7), quarterback hits (28), pressures (36) and pass breakups (3). So, basically a career year for Lawrence last season.

Lawrence has been very vocal about his hatred for losing. As he should, as Giants teams won just 14 games in his first three years. Lawrence knows what it's like to be on the losing side of the spectrum, and was part of lost seasons before. With the way this one is shaping up to be, Lawrence is going to have to use his past to keep his unit focused despite the record.

Especially in the trenches, tensions can rise quickly if a game starts to slip away. Now that his counterpart in Leonard Williams was traded away, Lawrence is going to be the main defensive lineman looked to when things go haywire. Fans have full belief in Lawrence still playing like a superstar the rest of the way.