Dexter Lawrence is not backing down from his commitment to the Giants.
What a week it’s been for him. It kicked off with Giants legend Carl Banks criticizing his performance and concluded with another disappointing outing in a 34-24 defeat against the 49ers on Sunday.
It’s not great; the Giants have now started with just 2 wins and 7 losses for the third consecutive year.
“It’s all about winning,” Lawrence emphasized. “Right now we’re 2-7. We’ve got to bounce back next week and get a win.”
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, but Lawrence is set on getting into the Giants’ Ring of Honor. His teammates and coaches have rallied around him, countering Banks’ comments about opponents no longer respecting him. They highlighted the attention he draws on the field and pointed out that he’s the most double-teamed player in the league.
So, is the three-time Pro Bowler considering a change of scenery?
“Not at all,” he replied firmly. “I want to keep leading. The wall will eventually break down.”
Kayvon Thibodeau also made it clear he wants to stay with the Giants, especially as the trade deadline approaches.
Lawrence has a contract that runs through 2027, averaging $21.8 million annually, which seemed like a good deal before the season started. While the team added $3 million in incentives, he has managed only half a sack this year, with just one tackle for loss recorded in Sunday’s game.
“We didn’t play as well as we wanted to,” he admitted. “And it showed.”
The Giants’ defense allowed 380 yards, with 159 on the ground. One play in particular stood out—a backup running back evaded a tackle and scored on a series of eight straight running plays.
Lawrence observed that effort wasn’t lacking but execution was clearly an issue. “I don’t believe it was a shortage of trying,” he remarked. “Everyone played hard. We just failed to make plays.”
Almost all of the Giants speaking to the media after the game agreed with Lawrence regarding the execution problems overshadowing their effort.
“I think I got a lot of pushbacks, a lot of double teams,” he said. “I think I’m playing well, but I really need to step it up.”
The Giants’ rushing defense ranks the worst in the NFL, a persistent problem for the last three years, and it was especially apparent given that 60 percent of their starting secondary was sidelined.
“Everyone needs to reflect on their individual performances—are they executing appropriately? Are they in the right places? Are they doing their homework?” Lawrence concluded.
