The Chicago Bears have few roster holes, but they still need to add talent to close the gap on teams such as the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks. The 2025 season was a step in the right direction, and in 2026, they’ll look to build on it and go even further.
Analyst Names Bears a Landing Spot for Dexter Lawrence
A piece who could make a big difference for Caleb Williams’ team is Dexter Lawrence, who wants to leave the New York Giants. The run defender recently asked to be traded due to contract issues, and recent developments indicate the Giants are now listening to offers for their star.
New York would still love to have him on the roster, so the trade proposal would have to be strong. But in a recent Bleacher Report article, Gary Davenport argues that, with discussions ongoing, other teams could try to argue that Lawrence had a down year in 2025, thereby diminishing his price.
“A trade wouldn’t be especially easy to work out for Lawrence,” Davenport wrote. “He has no guarantees left on a contract that pays him $22.5 million a season, so he’s going to want a new deal that includes a raise (it’s why he asked for a trade to begin with).”
In 2023, Lawrence signed a four-year, $87.5 million contract extension with the Giants, and he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
“There’s also the matter of Lawrence’s value in a trade. The Giants are going to point to his nine sacks in 2024 and want a Round 1 pick,” Davenport added. “Trade partners are going to point to his down 2025 numbers and offer significantly less.”
The Giants are building for the future. On offense, the duo of Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers will be the spinal cord for the team, and the arrival of John Harbaugh sparked hope of better days for a franchise that made the playoffs just twice since winning the Super Bowl in 2011.
Lawrence, along with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, is expected to be one of the building blocks on the defense. However, there’s no point keeping a player on the roster who’s unhappy and likely won’t push 100% until he gets his wish, whether that’s a new deal or a new team.
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Lawrence was selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was twice voted as a second-team All-Pro, and not many players can defend the run and rush the passer from the interior like him. At 28, he still has plenty of gas in the tank, even after a down year, ranking No. 38 in our PFSN’s NFL DT Impact Metric.
For the Bears, improving the middle of the defensive line is essential. This was one of Chicago’s biggest weaknesses in 2025, especially with teams running through the middle. Although they made the NFC Divisional Round, they need to improve in other areas to compete for a championship. Lawrence would be a great fix.
