General manager Nick Caserio has always been open to trading out of the first round of the NFL draft. He’s also never been afraid to give up draft capital to land a premier player in a win-now mode for the Houston Texans, as evidenced by the trade to land All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs in 2024.
Could that moment be on the horizon once more?
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New York Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Following three different coaching regimes and only one winning season, Lawrence plans to leave for a better situation to begin the second half of his career.
The move shouldn’t come as a massive shock to NFL circles since Lawrence and the Giants have been through two offseasons attempting to negotiate a contract reflecting his value. Under new head coach John Harbaugh, there’s been little growth to try and see an expansion of a deal or annual salary.
As for Houston, defensive tackle perhaps remains the top priority for the roster after a promising offseason. Landing a player of Lawrence’s potential won’t be worth just one first-round pick, but it’s a strong starting point to get any deal done as part of the ground work.
Lawrence, 28, has 30.5 career sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception over his six NFL seasons. He has two years remaining on his deal and is scheduled to make $20 million this upcoming season, which would put the Texans over $5 million in cap space.
While in theory the idea would be promising for Houston’s defense, financially, it seems like a reach. The Texans still are trying to come to terms with All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. on an extension that would make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in league history and they have yet to finalize a deal. Until that happens, no other move should be made on the defense for the short-term.
Adding in Lawrence would give the Texans perhaps the greatest defense assembled since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, but it’s a pipeline dream for now. Houston still has long-term holes on the offensive line that must be addressed before adding a veteran defensive tackle can be a priority.
The Texans own eight picks in next month’s draft.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Could the Texans trade draft picks for Giants DL Dexter Lawrence?
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
