Giants and Dexter Lawrence Are Talking, and Joe Schoen Says These Conversations Are Actually Going Somewhere
The New York Giants have had "productive" talks with Dexter Lawrence's agent over the last five or six days, according to GM Joe Schoen. This comes after the standout defensive lineman put in a trade request and hasn't shown up for the start of the team's first offseason workout program under new head coach John Harbaugh.
So what's actually happening here? Schoen made a point to address it head on at his annual predraft news conference on Tuesday. The message is clear: the Giants want to keep Lawrence, but they know something needs to give.
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This isn't some fringe player they can just let walk. Harbaugh himself called Lawrence a "middle stone" at the NFL combine and raved about his dominance. The organization went through the entire offseason planning as if Lawrence would be locked in at the middle of their defense. They want him there.
"We've had good conversations with his representatives throughout the last five or six days," Schoen said. "Coach, [senior vice president of football operations and strategy] Dawn Aponte, myself, we've all been in communication, trying to find some resolution."
The Money and the Losing
Here's the thing though: Lawrence's contract is currently out of guaranteed money, and his $20 million salary places him 10th among interior defensive linemen this season. That's a gap that matters. On top of that, the losing has worn on him. Last season, Lawrence put up just 31 tackles and 0.5 sacks, the lowest totals of his career for a player with his pedigree and track record.
Schoen isn't shutting the door on anything. "I'll echo what coach said last week: We'd like for Dexter to be here, and at some point we'll come to a resolution here, whatever that may be. We'll see. But conversations have been really good, they've been productive and we'll see what happens here down the road."
Translation: they're negotiating, something's going to give, and nobody's written off yet. Watch this space.
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