Dexter Lawrence Reportedly Requests Trade, Top Landing Spots for Giants DT Amid Contract Talks

Dexter Lawrence is eyeing a change in scenery.

The veteran defensive tackle has reportedly requested a trade amidst a contract stand-off with the New York Giants and won't report to the team's offseason program.

Of course, any team that was to make a trade for Lawrence would need to have cap space, especially if he's looking for a new contract.

The Tennessee Titans ($63.2 million) have the most cap space in the league, per Over The Cap. Of course, they already have Jeffery Simmons on the books for more than $20 million in each of the next two seasons.

The Washington Commanders ($49.6 million), the Los Angeles Chargers ($48.7 million) and the New England Patriots ($35.3 million) are also among the teams with the most cap space available.

Lawrence, 28, is a three-time Pro Bowler and registered 31 tackles (four for loss), 0.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four passes defensed and an interception last season. It was a bit of a down year from his career year in 2024, when Lawrence set career highs in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (eight).

Nonetheless, losing him would be an enormous blow for a Giants' defense that has built around the defensive line in recent years, and certainly would be a tough start to the John Harbaugh era.

But an inflection point in contract negotiations was coming.

In July 2025, the team added $3 million in incentives to the $17 million base salary he was already due on his four-year, $87.5 million deal. But Lawrence clearly wants a more substantial raise (he also has no more guaranteed money on his contract) and the Giants have balked at offering him one thus far, given he's still under contract for two more seasons.

Unsurprisingly, the Giants don't want to lose Lawrence.

"How important is he? Really important. He's super, super important," Harbaugh told reporters in February. "He's a cornerstone football player, not really a cornerstone. He's more like the middle stone. He's right in the middle. He's a very big stone and he's a very active athletic stone. So we want him in there being a big stone."