Per Connor Hughes, Giants GM Joe Schoen said the plan is for DT Dexter Lawrence to remain with the team in 2026, and they haven’t had any calls regarding the former All-Pro.
New York HC John Harbaugh expressed Lawrence’s importance to the team in a way only he and his brother Jim Harbaugh can, via Art Stapleton.
“How important is he? Really important. He’s super, super important. He’s a cornerstone football player. Not really a cornerstone. He’s more like the middle stone. He’s right in the middle. He’s a very big stone, you know, and he’s a very active, athletic stone.”
Schoen had a similar sentiment regarding OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, though he mentioned he will answer the phone when teams call. He said Thibodeaux will remain with them for “right now” and is looking forward to seeing how he plays on the fifth-year option.
“Right now, Kayvon’s gonna be with us,” Schoen said, via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. “He played well. He is going into his fifth year, and he’s motivated, and you can’t have enough pass rushers.”
Lawrence, 28, was drafted No. 17 overall by the Giants in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson.
He finished out his four-year, $13,248,048 rookie contract that included a $7,654,954 signing bonus. New York picked up his fifth-year option worth $10.753 million fully guaranteed for the 2023 season.
Lawrence was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 when he signed a four-year, $90 million extension. He’s set to earn a base salary of $18.5 million in 2026.
In 2025, Lawrence appeared in all 17 games for the Giants and recorded 31 tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass defenses, and one interception.
Thibodeaux, 25, was selected fifth overall by the Giants in the 2022 draft. He’s entering the final year of a four-year rookie deal worth $33.3 million that includes a $20 million signing bonus and is fully guaranteed.
He spent a portion of the 2024 season on injured reserve and was activated in November. The Giants picked up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option this past April, which will pay him over $14 million for the 2026 season.
In 2025, Thibodeaux appeared in 10 games for the Giants and made 10 starts, recording 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two pass defenses.
We’ll have more on the Giants as the news becomes available.
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