{"id":862362,"date":"2026-04-09T14:33:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/862362\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T14:33:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:33:29","slug":"3-reasons-why-buffalo-bills-should-avoid-dexter-lawrence-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/862362\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons Why Buffalo Bills Should Avoid Dexter Lawrence Trade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stalwart New York Giants<\/a> defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence requested a trade on Monday, and while it may make sense<\/a> for the Buffalo Bills<\/a> to pursue him, there is also a strong argument against such a move.<\/p>\n

It would likely cost multiple early draft picks<\/a> to land the three-time Pro Bowler. While he would do wonders for a defense that ranked fifth-worst in the NFL against the run and tallied only one sack in two playoff games in 2025, the price may be too high<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Buffalo should look both to history and its current roster to gauge whether acquiring Lawrence makes sense, and three key factors argue against it.<\/p>\n

Young defensive line depth<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSam Greene\/The Enquirer \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The Bills have invested significant draft capital on the defensive line over the past two years. T.J. Sanders<\/a>, Landon Jackson and DeWayne Carter were all Day 2 picks, and while they have either struggled or dealt with injuries<\/a>, they could reach their potential in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s scheme.<\/p>\n

Deone Walker<\/a>, Buffalo’s fourth-round pick in 2025 who started 16 games as a rookie, could also benefit from the new system after a strong first season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ed Oliver<\/a> played in only three games in 2025 due to bicep and meniscus injuries<\/a>. If similar issues arise in 2026, Buffalo may need to show faith in its younger players to justify its investments.<\/p>\n

Other needs require early attention<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoseph Maiorana-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

If the Bills pursue Lawrence, they would likely be left without another early draft pick after trading their second-round pick<\/a> to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver DJ Moore. That could be detrimental given other roster needs.<\/p>\n

Even after acquiring Moore, Buffalo could use its first-round pick on another wide receiver to complement him, tight end Dalton Kincaid<\/a> and Khalil Shakir, who was the only Bills player to top 700 receiving yards<\/a> in 2025. Adding another weapon could lead to career-best numbers for Josh Allen<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It’s not just Buffalo’s roster needs that complicate a trade for Lawrence, but also the track record of large contracts for defensive linemen.<\/p>\n

Bad track record for big defensive lineman contracts<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEric Hartline-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Albert Haynesworth’s seven-year, $100 million contract with Washington in 2009 is the prime example of a big defensive lineman contract flaming out. More recently, Christian Wilkins<\/a> signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, but played in just five games for the team before being released the following offseason after a Jones fracture. <\/p>\n

Lawrence is in the third year of a four-year, $87.5 million deal he signed with the Giants in 2024, and his production dropped from nine sacks in 2024 to just half a sack in 2025. That decline could be a harbinger of things to come.<\/p>\n

Overall, Buffalo has a case to go after Lawrence, but there are enough red flags that signal the move may not be worth the risk.<\/p>\n

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