EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants All-Professional defensive deal with Dexter Lawrence signed a four-year, $90 million extension, together with $60 million assured, Friday.
The deal makes Lawrence the third-highest-paid defensive deal with within the NFL behind the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald and Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons.
“I do not assume the quantity to me was that vital. Simply being revered and understanding who I’m as a participant and what I am price,” Lawrence stated moments after signing the deal. “I did not have a set quantity in thoughts or something like that. I knew I simply wished to be revered for my manufacturing and my management round right here.”
The brand new deal comes after Lawrence, 25, elected to keep away from the beginning of the voluntary portion of the Giants’ offseason program due to a contract disagreement, a supply informed ESPN in April. He remained in touch with the workforce and coach Brian Daboll as he dealt together with his contract scenario.
It was all the time the Giants’ plan to handle Lawrence’s contract this offseason. He was set to play on the fifth-year possibility on his rookie contract, and the workforce wished to decrease his wage cap quantity from $12.4 million this season.
Talks have been placed on maintain in current weeks, even when signing Lawrence was the Giants’ prime precedence forward of operating again Saquon Barkley, who has additionally stayed away from offseason exercises as a result of he has but to signal his franchise tag.
“Let’s get by means of the draft,” common supervisor Joe Schoen stated this previous weekend about negotiations with Lawrence. “His illustration had plenty of prospects within the draft, and we have been centered on the draft in our conferences.
“Subsequent week, issues will relax somewhat bit and we’ll circle again up with everyone.”
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Lawrence’s agent, Joel Segal, additionally represents Giants first-round choose Deonte Banks.
The deal got here collectively rapidly post-draft after Lawrence had one of the best season of his profession taking part in nostril deal with in 2022 beneath the brand new regime. He dominated and completed with 68 tackles, a career-best 7.5 sacks and two pressured fumbles.
When Lawrence was on the sector final 12 months, the Giants allowed 4.9 yards per rush. When he wasn’t, they allowed 6.2 yards per rush, per ESPN Stats & Info analysis.
Lawrence’s $60 million assured is tied with Donald and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Chris Jones for the second most assured to a defensive deal with, behind the Washington Commanders’ Daron Payne ($60.02 million), per ESPN Stats & Info.
The defensive deal with market was set this offseason with the signings of Simmons and Payne. Simmons receives $23.5 million per season and Payne $22.5 million. Lawrence’s deal places him at $22.5 million.
All three gamers got here in with related assured cash: Payne ($60.02 million), Lawrence ($60 million) and Simmons ($59.8 million).
Lawrence and Simmons are locked up for 5 years — 2023 plus their four-year extensions. Payne obtained a three-year extension.
Signing Lawrence was a part of the Giants’ plan to create cap area to navigate this 12 months. New York headed into Thursday simply $575,857 beneath the cap, in response to NFL Gamers Affiliation data. Solely the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had much less.
Lawrence was the seventeenth total choose within the 2019 draft in a choose acquired from the Cleveland Browns within the Odell Beckham Jr. commerce.
The Clemson product has performed in 64 video games over his first 4 seasons, lacking solely two video games. The 6-foot-4, 342-pound lineman has recorded 16.5 sacks, 116 tackles and 4 pressured fumbles in his profession.
