Tag: Dexter Lawrence

Giants’ John Michael Schmitz reveals his ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz discusses his “welcome to the NFL” moment and his appreciation for Carter Coughlin.

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz had an up-and-down rookie season in 2023 and appears to be ready to take the next step to become one of the NFL’s top centers.

Schmitz started 13 games for Big Blue as a rookie and showed signs of his draft pedigree (he was taken 57th overall in Round 2 last year) and was named to Bucky Brooks’ 2023 All-Rookie Team.

In a recent interview with KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, where Schmitz played his college ball for the Gophers of Minnesota, he reflected on his “welcome to the NFL” moment from last year.

“I would say going against one of the best nose tackles in the NFL every single day at practice,” he said. “Dexter Lawrence — he’ll definitely make you a lot better real quick. He’s a great player (and) great person off the field as well. He just pushes you to be a better player.”

Schmitz isn’t the only Gopher on the Giants’ roster. Carter Coughlin, a reserve linebacker and special teams ace who was recently re-signed, has helped Schmitz along with his acclimation to the New York and the NFL.

“It’s great. I mean, we definitely just chit-chat about everything,” Schmitz said. “You go through your thought times and, obviously, me and him being pretty close with the Gophers. . . it’s nice to have someone like that, that I already have a bond with. Just someone to kind of lean on and ask those questions, like, ‘Hey, can you help me out here?’ Like, ‘What do I do?’ It’s nice to have a Gopher on the team.”

Meanwhile, Schmitz is already working hard this offseason and plans to arrive at organized team activities (OTAs) in regular season shape.

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Could Giants’ defensive line be elite in 2024?

Pro Football Focus believes the New York Giants’ defensive line could be “elite” in 2024 after the team acquired edge rusher Brian Burns.

With the addition of edge rusher Brian Burns, acquired via trade from the Carolina Panthers early in free agency, the New York Giants’ defensive line appears vastly improved on paper.

PFF recently highlighted a positive takeaway for all 32 teams following the free agency period and unsurprisingly, it was that very D-line for the Giants.

NEW YORK GIANTS: THE DEFENSIVE LINE COULD BE ELITE

Dexter Lawrence is one of the best players in football, and Kayvon Thibodeaux has a ton of talent. The Giants still needed a bookend to alleviate the onus on him to be the premier pass rusher, though.

The team subsequently took a massive swing on Brian Burns. At his peak, Burns is a durable, elite pass rusher capable of taking over games. He just needs to play at that level more consistently to justify his massive new contract. One thing working in his favor is new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s scheme, which should allow Burns to play more often from a three-point stance as opposed to being an outside linebacker.

New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s scheme may not only benefit Burns’ style of play but Kayvon Thibodeaux’s as well.

Last season, Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks and there were plenty of times where some felt he was being dropped back into coverage too much in Wink Martindale’s defense.

The addition of Burns is a big one for the Giants’ defense in general. However, Burns is also joining a talented defensive line — likely the best of his career playing alongside one of the league’s best in Dexter Lawrence.

The Giants’ defensive line has certainly improved on paper but we won’t know how elite that unit will be until they hit the field.

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Giants restructure contract of NT Dexter Lawrence

The New York Giants have restructured the contract of All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.

The New York Giants have restructured the contract of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, freeing up an estimated $7.5 million in salary cap space.

Field Yates was the first to report the news.

Last May, Lawrence signed a four-year, $87.5 million extension with the Giants in which his cap hit for 2024 had him at $22.075 million.

The conversion allows the Giants — who were approximately $2.5 million over the cap — some flexibility to add another mid-level free agent or two and also keep some space available for their incoming draft class.

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Giants trade with Panthers for edge-rusher Brian Burns, who gets massive new contract

With Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence, the Giants now present impossible problems for opposing offensive lines.

16 months ago, the Los Angeles Rams offered two first-round picks (2024, 2025) and a second-round pick (2023) to the Carolina Panthers for the services of edge-rusher Brian Burns, and the Panthers turned the Rams down.

Now, the Panthers have traded Burns to the New York Giants for second- and fifth-round picks, and they’re off the hook for Burns’ new contract. That’s up to the Giants, who — per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network — will give Burns a new five-year deal worth up to $150 million with $87.5 million guaranteed.

As they say, timing is everything.

For the Panthers, it’s just more picks and more cap space free for new general manager Dan Morgan as the franchise keeps up the rebuilding process. For the Giants, it’s the opportunity to put Burns on the other side of edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, with nose tackle super-destroyer Dexter Lawrence in the middle. Which isn’t bad at all.

Last season, Burns had nine sacks and 40 total pressures, which was actually a bit of a down year for him — the 2019 16th overall pick out of Florida State had 13 sacks and 68 pressures in a career-best 2022 season. But Burns still has that ferocious acceleration to the quarterback, he can put speed-to-power moves together quite estimably, and he has a full array of techniques to get to the quarterback.

Given Burns’ relative limitations in the run game, this might be a bit of an overpay, but if it all works out, the Giants have created an impossible question to answer: Who on that defensive line do you double-team?

Giants’ Dexter Lawrence joins Team Agent as gaming content creator

New York Giants NT Dexter Lawrence is adding to his versatility and professional resume by becoming a gaming content creator for Team Agent.

Dexter Lawrence was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, and he hasn’t missed a single game to date. He’s one of the defensive leaders and continues to improve on the field.

The Giants rewarded his play and production last year with a four-year, $90 million contract.

But Lawrence isn’t all football. He’s also an avid gamer, which is why it’s not all that surprising that he has now joined the ranks of gaming content creators.

Sexy Dexy is hard to miss on the field, and it looks like Fortnite players are going to get even more of him off the field.

Agent is a Black-led gaming firm, which poises Dex to be a voice for Black gamers within an arena dominated by other ethnicities. It provides him a platform to move the needle for Black gamers and to attract younger Black gamers to the scene.

There are plenty of athletes who are content creators for various companies as they’ve learned from their predecessors that the money earned from playing doesn’t last forever. Not only is this a smart way for Lawrence to set up his future for success, but it reminds people that gamers can be anyone and if he gains fans creating content, it could draw new fans to the Giants.

This is another avenue for income for Lawrence — it’s also a new platform where he can reach people he might not otherwise reach. It will bring exposure to both the Giants and gaming, so it’s a win-win for everyone.

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Bleacher Report proposes ridiculous Dexter Lawrence-Stefon Diggs trade

Bleacher Reports has proposed a Dexter Lawrence-Stefon Diggs trade that would certainly get New York Giants GM Joe Schoen fired.

The New York Giants are in desperate need of a true WR1 but at what cost?

Earlier this week, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would see Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs sent to East Rutherford.

While Diggs to New York is an idea that’s been batted around before, Moton took an interesting path to that end this time. He suggests a blockbuster that sends All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence back to Buffalo in exchange for the wide receiver.

Buffalo Bills receive: DL Dexter Lawrence, 2024 second-rounder (No. 39 overall pick) and fifth-rounder (No. 139 overall pick)

New York Giants receive: WR Stefon Diggs, 2024 sixth-rounder (No. 197 overall pick)

What in the…

Not only would the Giants lose the league’s best interior defensive lineman in this trade, but they’d also surrender a top 40 pick in exchange for Diggs and a late-rounder.

The question becomes: Why would the Giants do this?

Moton even goes on to suggest the Giants might have to give up more to make this trade happen… Which is preposterous.

Remember, Diggs’ age could knock down his trade value a notch below wideouts recently moved in blockbuster transactions.

With that said, to compete with the other teams that could offer a first-round pick or a high-end playmaker at a premium position (Brian Burns), the Giants may have to dip into their 2025 draft capital to entice the Bills. If so, general manager Joe Schoen can offer a 2025 third-rounder instead of a fifth-rounder in this year’s draft.

Talk about getting hosed. This is a trade that would all but guarantee the firing of general manager Joe Schoen.

While it’s true the Giants need a legitimate WR1, losing one of the best players in football to acquire a receiver who averaged just 11.1 yards per reception in 2023 isn’t the answer. And that doesn’t even take into account the additional loss in draft stock.

This would be an absolutely disastrous trade for the Giants. Luckily, there’s zero percent chance it happens.

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WATCH: Derrick Brown pushes and pulls NFC to wins in 2024 Pro Bowl Games

Panthers DT Derrick Brown helped notch a couple of wins for the NFC on Sunday.

Derrick Brown is making the most out of his very first Pro Bowl Games appearance.

As part of the “Gridiron Gauntlet” event on Sunday afternoon, the powerful Carolina Panthers defensive tackle was tasked with trying to literally push the NFC squad to a victory. Well, he and his partner Minnesota Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola succeeded—getting Pro Football Hall of Famer and nine-time Pro Bowl pass rusher DeMarcus Ware (and his sled) across the finish line.

Brown and DePaola teamed up to fly by the duo of Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Trey Hendrickson and Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik. Their triumphant push was set up by the explosiveness of New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II, the sweet feet and strength of Philadelphia Eagles offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson and the leaping ability of Chicago Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat.

Oh, and he wasn’t done either. Brown also pulled the NFC to victory in the Tug of War.

Never. Had. A. Chance.

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Tyler Smith: Giants’ Dexter Lawrence is ‘a nightmare assignment’

Cowboys OL Tyler Smith and Eagles OL Jason Kelce say New York Giants NT Dexter Lawrence is the toughest assignment in football.

New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence is a menace. He’s arguably the best interior defensive lineman in football and his back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and Second Team All-Pro honors support that.

Few know the challenges of taking on Lawrence better than his NFC East rivals, who have the unfortunate task of trying to stop him twice per season.

During a sit down with the NFLPA at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith paid Lawrence the ultimate compliment.

“Dexter Lawrence… He’s pretty good,” Smith said. “It’s rare that you see a dude at that size be able to move like that. So, I think he’s probably a nightmare assignment for anybody.”

But Smith wasn’t the only one paying their respects to Lawrence.

Philadelphia Eagles center and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jason Kelce, also named Sexy Dexy as his toughest matchup.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say Dexter Lawrence,” Kelce stated. “He’s got a good blend of everything — speed, power, and athleticism.”

Asked about his toughest matchup, Lawrence returned the respect and named Kelce.

“Jason Kelce. He’s a legend,” Lawrence said.

It’s one thing to earn praise from colleagues who only see your work on film. It’s quite another to be regarded as the very best by your most hated rivals.

Kelce and Smith naming Lawrence as their toughest matchup speaks volumes about the 26-year-old.

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Dexter Lawrence named Giants’ 2023 MVP by CBS Sports

CBS Sports has named nose tackle Dexter Lawrence the New York Giants’ 2023 team MVP.

The New York Giants underwhelmed in 2023 but that was through no fault of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, who continued to establish himself as the most dominant interior defensive lineman in football.

Lawrence’s play this past season earned him Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors, which almost feels like a slight.

In addition to those accolades, Lawrence was also named the Giants Wire MVP in a unanimous vote.

Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports concurred with that vote and recently named Lawrence the Giants’ 2023 team MVP.

The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the league. This is the second year in a row that Lawrence has been named to the Pro Bowl while also getting second-team All-Pro honors. He finished the year with 4.5 sacks, 53 tackles, 21 quarterback hits and two pass breakups. Without a doubt, he was New York’s best player in 2023.

Lawrence played through injury over the last several weeks of the season but it barely slowed him down. He routinely dominated opponents even while being double- and triple-teamed.

Still just 26 years old, Lawrence has yet to reach his ceiling, which should frighten every NFL team.

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Giants’ Dexter Lawrence named to PFWA All-NFC Team

New York Giants NT Dexter Lawrence has been named to Pro Football Writers of America’s (PFWA) 2023 All-NFC Team.

New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-NFC Team on Monday.

For the second consecutive season, Lawrence, 26, who was also named a second-team All-Pro as well as a Pro Bowl selection, received PFWA honors.

Lawrence registered 53 total tackles (32 solo, seven for a loss) with 21 QB hits and 4.5 sacks.

Lawrence was named along with future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald as the NFC’s top defensive tackles. Lawrence was aced out by Donald and Kansas City’s Chris Jones for All-NFL honors.

The Dallas Cowboys placed a league-high five players on the All-NFL team, while the San Francisco 49ers had four players honored.

The PFWA has selected an All-NFL team since 1966, and All-AFC and All-NFC teams since 1992.

Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke, who seemed to have a lot of support heading into the voting, did not make the cut.

Okereke played his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and signed a four-year, $40 million free agent contract with the Giants last March.

The former Stanford star led the Giants in tackles in his first season (149 total, 92 solo, 11 for a loss) and added four forced fumbles, two interceptions and 2.5 sacks.

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