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Brian Burns: 'Giants ain’t the Giants' without Dexter Lawrence
TL;DR
Brian Burns emphasizes the importance of Dexter Lawrence to the Giants, urging the team to retain him amid contract disputes. Lawrence, a key player since being drafted in 2019, is seeking a pay raise after seeing less impactful players earn more.
Key points
- Brian Burns advocates for teammate Dexter Lawrence's retention
- Lawrence is skipping offseason workouts over contract disputes
- He is currently the seventh-highest paid interior defensive lineman
- Lawrence signed a four-year, $87.5 million extension in 2023
- Burns emphasizes Lawrence's leadership and presence in the locker room
New York GiantsDexter LawrenceBrian Burns
New York Giants All-Pro defensive stud Brian Burns is urging the team to hold onto his teammate and friend, Dexter Lawrence, who is currently skipping the offseason workout program in a dispute over his contract.
“Dex is a huge locker-room presence,” Burns told the New York Post. “It’s been a little weird without him here, and knowing the uncertainty of the business of what he’s going through. It would be a huge loss to lose him. He’s a vocal leader. A lot of guys look up to him. Hell, I look up to him at times. You don’t ever want to lose a guy like that.”
Lawrence has been a huge presence on and off the field for the Giants ever since they selected him 17th overall out of Clemson in the 2019 NFL draft. He has become one of the game's top interior defensive linemen, and in 2023, the Giants paid him as such, inking him to a four-year, $87.5 million extension.
But that extension hasn't aged well. Since that agreement, Lawrence has seen less impactful players than him "get the bag," so to speak. He is now the seventh-highest paid in the league at his position. Naturally, the 28-year-old wants to strike while the iron is hot, hence the demand for a raise.
“Speaking for me, the Giants ain’t the Giants without No. 97 in the middle,” Burns told The Post. “So we are going to figure that out to keep him here regardless, I hope. That’s my boy. And I don’t want to play this season or any other season without him.”
Burns may not have to. The rumors are that the Giants are seeking trade partners for Lawrence rather than pay him. That makes no sense. The new coaching staff under John Harbaugh has vowed to make stopping the run and being stout in the trenches a priority. Ridding themselves of the 6-foot-4, 340-pound Lawrence goes against that initiative.
The general thinking is that the situation resolves itself. With the 2026 NFL draft a week away, the Giants and other teams are counting their chickens. If Lawrence is to be dealt, it would likely happen by next Thursday night.
That seems unlikely. The Giants are seeking to add to their rotation up front, not rebuild it from scratch. Trading Lawrence would mean just that. They should listen to Burns. The benefits of keeping Lawrence are aplenty.
Q&A
Why is Dexter Lawrence skipping the offseason workouts with the Giants?
Dexter Lawrence is skipping the offseason workouts due to a dispute over his contract.
What is Dexter Lawrence's current contract situation with the Giants?
Dexter Lawrence is currently the seventh-highest paid interior defensive lineman in the league, and he is seeking a raise after feeling undervalued compared to other players.
How has Brian Burns described Dexter Lawrence's impact on the Giants?
Brian Burns described Dexter Lawrence as a huge locker-room presence and a vocal leader whom many players look up to, highlighting the potential loss the team would face without him.
