Tiki Barber believes trading Dexter Lawrence was the best decision for the New York Giants. The team dealt the Pro Bowl nose tackle to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Key points
Tiki Barber supports trading Dexter Lawrence.
Lawrence was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Giants received the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Lawrence was a three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle.
The trade has mixed reactions among fans and analysts.
New York GiantsCincinnati BengalsDexter Lawrence
Tiki Barber: Trading Dexter Lawrence was best thing for New York Giants
Many fans, pundits, and former players of the New York Giants have been chiming in on the Dexter Lawrence saga these days.
Big Blue sent their disgruntled three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle packing last weekend, dealing him to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft.
While many are lamenting the loss of the irreplaceable Lawrence in the middle of the Giants' defense, there are others who are seeing the silver lining in the situation.
Dallas Cowboys (home, away)
Washington Commanders (home, away)
Philadelphia Eagles (home, away)
Q&A
Why did the New York Giants trade Dexter Lawrence?
The Giants traded Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals to gain the 10th overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft.
What was Dexter Lawrence's status with the Giants before the trade?
Dexter Lawrence was a disgruntled three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle before being traded.
What are the implications of trading Dexter Lawrence for the Giants?
Trading Lawrence allows the Giants to potentially rebuild and improve their draft position, despite losing a key defensive player.
Who expressed support for the trade of Dexter Lawrence?
Tiki Barber, among other fans and pundits, expressed support for the trade, suggesting it was beneficial for the Giants.
Related Articles
MLB·Feature
Fantasy Baseball: Surprising stats through the first month of the 2026 MLB season
Check out these surprising stats from the first month of the 2026 MLB season!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NFL·Preview
BYU's AJ Dybantsa makes big announcement ahead of NBA draft deadline: Live updates
BYU's AJ Dybantsa set to announce NBA draft intentions tomorrow!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
MLB·Recap
Alex Cora Shakes Up Red Sox's Lineup Again For Pivotal Series Finale Vs. Yankees
Alex Cora shakes up the Red Sox lineup again for a crucial game against the Yankees.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NBA
Lakers predicted to trade for $90M All-Star rim protector as perfect Luka Doncic lob partner
Lakers predicted to trade for $90M All-Star rim protector, perfect for Doncic.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Gabriel Layrac gana la primera etapa de la Vuelta a Asturias
Gabriel Layrac se lleva la primera etapa de la Vuelta a Asturias
Marca··1 min read
Soccer
‘We have to look at it game-by-game’ – Guarino discusses West Ham United’s run-in
Guarino discusses West Ham's strategy as they near season's end.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Arizona Cardinals (home)
Cleveland Browns (home)
Jacksonville Jaguars (home)
New Orleans Saints (home)
San Francisco 49ers (home)
Tennessee Titans (home)
Detroit Lions (road)
Indianapolis Colts (road)
Houston Texans (road)
Seattle Seahawks (road)
Los Angeles Rams (road)
1 / 14
New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys: Best photos from Week 18
Dallas Cowboys (home, away)
1 / 14
New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys: Best photos from Week 18
Dallas Cowboys (home, away)
2 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Washington Commanders (home, away)
3 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Philadelphia Eagles (home, away)
4 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Arizona Cardinals (home)
5 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Cleveland Browns (home)
6 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Jacksonville Jaguars (home)
7 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
New Orleans Saints (home)
8 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
San Francisco 49ers (home)
9 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Tennessee Titans (home)
10 / 14
New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions: Best photos from Week 12
Detroit Lions (road)
11 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Indianapolis Colts (road)
12 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Houston Texans (road)
13 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Seattle Seahawks (road)
14 / 14
New York Giants' 2026 opponents
Los Angeles Rams (road)
Count former Giant great Tiki Barber, now a local on-air radio celebrity, as one who won't miss Lawrence.
"It almost felt like Dex did not want anything to do with the New York Giants, at which point, good riddance," Barber said on his WFAN show on Wednesday.
"Get him out of here. Can't get him out of here quick enough. I think (head coach) John Harbaugh, making a very quick determination— with (general manager) Joe Schoen and (senior vice president of football operations and strategy) Dawn Aponte, obviously— that Dexter Lawrence did not want to be with the Giants."
Barber then delivered a stinging diatribe stating facts about Lawrence that can't be denied.
"They kicked him out of the door as quickly as possible, and it's the best thing that they could have done. And I said this two weeks ago, Dex, by the way he played, having nothing else, no other input, by the way he played, started to make himself a villain last football season," Barber said.
"He was just dogging it. Like, you just see it. Carl Banks called him out. We played that audio a couple of weeks ago as well. When it got to the offseason, and now he's holding out, he's demanding a trade, he's just being malcontent with this team that has paid him, helped him become a star in this league.
"Giant fans fully turned him into a villain. And so trust me, no Giant fan is going to miss him. Now, are they going to miss him on the field? Well, that's different. 100 percent. Yeah, he's not replaceable. It's not like you're gonna go find a 320-pound elite All-Pro, uh, who gets a multi— you know, eight, nine sacks a season. Type of detail.
"You're not replacing him, but I think him not being here is probably the best thing that John Harbaugh could have done."
Barber knows a thing or two about the Giants and their fans. As great as he was, he once fell out of favor with both the team and the fan base. He knows it's a dangerous threshold to cross. Lawrence has found that out.
