April 18, 2026, 9:24 p.m. ET
We do not know if the Jacksonville Jaguars had any interest in New York Giants’ defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. When GM James Gladstone was asked about trading for Lawrence recently, he had little to say.
“That’s not something we’ve gone into,” Gladstone said. “Obviously, he’s under contract with them, so not at liberty necessarily to even talk about it.”
But even if some level of interest was there for the Jaguars, acquiring Lawrence was likely never in the cards, given his price tag.
Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals
On Saturday evening, the Giants traded Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. The Bengals will also likely sign Lawrence to an extension.
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The Jaguars could never compete with that offer. They do not have a first-rounder this year, and even if they were willing to part with their 2027 first-round pick, a future selection compared to one in the current year doesn’t carry the same value, not to mention that no one expects the Jaguars to be picking near the top 10.
The Jaguars need help at the defensive tackle position — it is arguably their biggest need — making Lawrence an obvious fit. Depth and more pass-rush juice are required. However, Jacksonville will continue looking elsewhere.
Hopefully, the addition of Ruke Orhorhoro can help, but the need at this position isn’t solved with that addition either. Investing in the defensive tackle unit in the draft should remain on Gladstone’s to-do list.