Giants: Projecting Dexter Lawrence’s massive contract extension

New York Giants star DT Dexter Lawrence is skipping the start of the team’s offseason programming due to his unresolved contract situation. Lawrence and the Giants have been negotiating a new deal since the end of the 2022 regular season, however, the two sides still have some work to do before agreeing to terms. Once the two sides do agree on a deal, however, the terms of the contract could make Lawrence one of the highest-paid defensive players in NFL history.

Projecting Dexter Lawrence’s next contract with the Giants

Lawrence is coming off of a dominant 2022 campaign that earned him his first career selections to the AP All-Pro Second Team and Pro Bowl Games. Sexy Dexy totaled 7.5 sacks, 68 combined tackles, 28 quarterback hits, and seven tackles for loss in 2022 (all career-highs).

This offseason, a couple of noteworthy contracts were handed out, resetting the market for defensive tackles. Daron Payne signed a four-year, $90 million contract extension with the Washington Commanders worth $22.5 million per season. Jeffery Simmons then topped Payne, signing a four-year, $94 million extension with the Tennessee Titans worth $23.5 million per season.

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The Giants may need to top those figures in order to agree to terms with Lawrence this offseason. The Giants’ 25-year-old interior rusher could command north of $24-25 million per season.

Such a contract would give Lawrence the second-highest average annual salary among defensive tackles in the NFL. But, realistically, the Giants are going to need to give Lawrence that bag to lock him in long-term.