Giants DT Dexter Lawrence could be the anchor the Raiders’ defense is missing, but a blockbuster trade might not make sense
The Las Vegas Raiders need an elite defensive tackle like Dexter Lawrence, but should they do it? There are many reasons why and why not.
There is new NFL trade buzz in the league. While no deal has yet been reached, a superstar player has officially demanded a trade. The Las Vegas Raiders are not directly involved in the current situation, at least for now.
New York Giants superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence wants out. The Raiders need someone who can fill the nose tackle role in the 3-4 defensive scheme Rob Leonard plans to run, while also having the versatility to play the three-technique and maybe even the five-technique. Such players, who excel at multiple roles and handle both run and pass well, are rare.
Lawrence is one of the few players in the league capable of doing all this. He would be a perfect fit for the Raiders. But should they pursue a trade for him? There are strong arguments on both sides, and Raider Nation is sure to be divided on the issue.
Why the Raiders should trade for Lawrence
When it comes to defense, the Raiders still have several needs. However, when you have two elite players on the defensive line, it kind of suppresses those other needs a little bit more. You have a bad secondary? Well, good thing the cornerbacks don’t have to cover for too long with Maxx Crosby and Lawrence rushing the passer. John Spytek said it best at the NFL Draft Combine—Vegas is in the business of getting good players, and Lawrence is that. Despite having a down year with a measly 29 total pressures, Lawrence still had the eighth-best pass rush win rate at 14%, per PFF, among all interior defenders.
Making a move like that would send a message to the fan base. Well, it could send a few messages, but one is that they are serious about building a contending, winning football team. Trading for Lawrence, who has a pretty decent contract right now, all things considered, would be smart, especially with Crosby now being considered an “underpaid” football player since his deal was done earlier. We all know that as of late, the league is won through the trenches, on both sides of the ball. Getting Lawrence takes care of the defensive side of that equation.
Why the Raiders should not trade for Lawrence
Vegas is not on the same timeline as Lawrence. What does that mean? Well, by the time Lawrence’s contract is up, which has two years remaining, the Raiders will likely still be a team on the outside of the postseason looking in. This team has a ton of issues roster-wise, so much so that they may still be a bad team with Lawrence, so then you just basically rented him out for two years with potentially no playoff success in those years because there’s no good team around him.
And then you get into the discussion of how much it’s going to cost. There are reports that the Giants will want a first-round pick and a second-round pick tagged along. There are other reports that the Giants will take a few picks, with the best one being a second-rounder. So, no one really knows what the value of Lawrence will be via trade, but it’s easy to see that it’s likely more than what they should give up. The Raiders are in the business of acquiring good players, sure. However, they’re also in the business of keeping draft capital and drafting good, young football players.
Not only that, but there’s also some wiggle room you’d have to do to get Lawrence to fit on your books. You’d likely have to send a player, maybe two in a trade, this year, to have enough room to bring in the rookie class you have to sign as well. Not to mention, Lawrence is going to want a new deal, somewhere around $33 APY, most likely. He’s currently at $27 APY. Lawrence had a down year last year. It was the first “down” year of his career. However, in his last 22 games, he hasn’t registered a full sack. And there seem to be rumors that Lawrence isn’t in good shape, and, among other things, the Giants weren’t pleased with.
The Raiders should not do this deal. However, you can make the case that they should. If I were Spytek, I’d call New York. If they truly are going to take, say, a second-rounder and maybe a fourth, then maybe think about doing that deal. If not, keep it moving.
Las Vegas Raiders News
Raiders seem to have an interest in an under-the-radar offensive lineman despite being in rare company with one unique trait
The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have a huge need at offensive tackle, especially when it comes to starter-level talent, but it’s hard not to have interest in Memphis OT Travis Burke, who’s 6’9.
