Dexter Lawrence is in a contract dispute with the New York Giants as he seeks a new deal with a raise. The situation was recently addressed by general manager Joe Schoen. He described where they stand with the superstar defender, but NFL Analyst Mike Florio blasted their negotiation tactics.
Mike Florio Blasts Joe Schoen’s Statement on Dexter Lawrence Contract Dispute
Lawrence has made it perfectly clear that he’s unhappy with his contract situation. The impasse is certainly going to be a huge headache for the Giants entering the 2026 NFL season if he’s not compensated in a way that he feels is fair and on time.
Schoen was recently asked about the looming holdout, and essentially explained that while negotiations are ongoing, his current contract, which he agreed to, still has two years remaining on it.
Florio, on his latest appearance on the “Pro Football Talk” podcast, responded to his stance by criticizing the unfair balance when it comes to these types of contract disputes.
“I didn’t love the ‘he’s under contract for two more years’ thing, because again it highlights the one-way nature of these deals,” said Florio. “He can’t do a thing about it, but if he wasn’t living up to what he was due to make, he would not be under contract for the next two years; they would rip it up. He’s got no way out of this other than to say he’s not happy and withhold services.”
The respected NFL analyst pointed out that this is an ongoing trend, not just with the Giants, but with the league contract situation in general.
He pointed out that the teams always have the option to cut a player before their contract expires if they are underperforming, but if a player is overperforming, they don’t necessarily have to compensate them.
Florio stated that Lawrence clearly deserves to be paid more than the $20 million in salary that he’s owed based on his elite performances as one of the best defensive tackles in the entire NFL. He has been selected for three Pro Bowls and chosen as a second-team All-Pro twice during his seven years in New York.
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The potential issue is that he finished just 38th among all defensive tackles in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for last season, which was the worst finish in his past five years.
He also recorded the fewest sacks in any season of his career. While it’s fair to say he has outperformed his contract in the last few years, his recent dip in production could surely hurt his current leverage.
