Some call him “Sexy Dexy,” others simply call him Dexter Lawrence, but both names represent a 340-pound monster defensive tackle for the New York Giants.
Lawrence was a first-round pick back in 2019 under Dave Gettleman’s tutelage. He was a result of trading Odell Beckham Jr., but Lawrence is finally hitting a stride with a much-improved coaching staff. Having experienced three years of inconsistent play, Lawrence has taken his game to another level in 2022, arguably posting All-Pro numbers.
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The New York Giants MUST extend Dexter Lawrence:
Across 825 snaps this year, Lawrence has put together 60 pressures, eight sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and 32 hurries. That is not even including any added metrics from the Giants’ blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, in which Dexter recorded yet another sack, bringing his total to nine on the season.
To go with his incredible pressure rates, Dexter has posted 41 tackles and 33 stops, earning a 92 overall defensive grade, according to PFF.
Luckily for a Big Blue, they extended Lawrence on his fifth-year option for the 2023 season, meaning they don’t have to extend them immediately, but should be considering it after such a dominant campaign.
Lawrence is set to earn $12.4 million, but coming off a season of this caliber, that is an extremely cheap price tag given the production. At just 25 years old, Lawrence is in the middle of his prime and likely has another 4–5 years left playing at a high level. The decision to bring in Andre Patterson, one of the best defensive line coaches from the Minnesota Vikings this past off-season, is paying off in dividends. The Giants’ defensive line is performing exceptionally well, despite dealing with a number of injuries. Azeez Ojulari has dealt with a calf injury and recently sustained an ankle issue against Minnesota in Week 16. Leonard Williams has fought through a difficult year, suffering an MCL sprain early in the season and dealing with a neck injury the past few weeks that will likely carry on into the playoffs.
At the very heart of the line, though, is Lawrence, who has been healthy and dominant in every single game this year. His pass rush success has not wavered, enjoying eight games this year with four pressures or more. In addition, he didn’t miss a tackle in eight consecutive weeks before recording two against Minnesota last week.
Projecting his future contract is tough, but a three-year deal makes perfect sense for both parties, locking down one of the team’s best defensive players for the next few seasons as the Giants try to push for another championship. Making the playoffs in the first year of a rebuild is nothing short of incredible.