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New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.
There are only a handful of people who know the true extent of the neck injury suffered by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike that cost him the final 15 games of the 2025 regular season.
One of those people is former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who is now the head coach of the New York Giants and has a massive problem on his hands with defensive tackle with perennial All-Pro Dexter Lawrence II, who has demanded a trade.
If Madubuike is healthy and ready to play in 2026, that’s 2 problems and 1 solution — a trade between the Ravens and Giants that brings Lawrence to Baltimore and cements their status as Super Bowl contenders.
The Giants need a defensive tackle who wants to be there. The Ravens need to get rid of Madubuike before he gets hurt again.
In this proposed scenario, the Ravens would have to give up a little more than the Giants and probably need to throw in a 2nd round pick (No. 45 overall) or 3rd round pick (No. 80 overall) along with Madubuike.
“The true must-get (for the Giants): a defensive tackle with run-defending ability,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote on Thursday. “The Giants’ defensive line is oriented toward penetration and pass rush, and they suffered with easy yardage on the ground accordingly. Even if Dexter Lawrence II stays, adding a rotational nose tackle is a wise proposition — but with Lawrence’s trade demand on the table, the need becomes even bigger.”
Dexter Lawrence II: Standard for Interior DL
When Los Angeles Rams superstar and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Donald retired following the 2023 season, Lawrence became the standard for NFL interior defensive linemen.
Lawrence, 28 years old, was rated No. 1 at the position in a poll of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts before the 2025 season.
He’s played his entire career with the Giants after they selected him in the 1st round (No. 17 overall) of the 2019 NFL draft out of Clemson, and in 7 NFL seasons, he’s a 2-time NFL All-Pro and 3-time Pro Bowler.
“Dominating the run was always on the agenda for Lawrence,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote in July 2025. “He has the balance, power, flexibility, footwork and acumen to post big sack numbers. In the past, the knock on Lawrence was that he missed too many near-sacks. No longer. Lawrence racked up quarterback takedowns while facing a 74.5% double-team rate, higher than any other interior lineman. The Giants saw him improve his ability to transition off blocks, be great on the move and finish takedowns.”
Lawrence has 2 years remaining on the 4-year, $87.5 million contract extension he signed in May 2023 and will have approximately $112.2 million in career earnings after his current deal runs out.
Madubuike Seems On Track to Return in 2026
With the Ravens staying tight-lipped about where Madubuike is in his recovery, we got a little glimpse into what might be going on behind the scenes after offseason workouts started on April 6.
Madubuike has 2 years remaining on the 4-year, $98 million contract extension he signed in March 2024.
“I can’t speak in terms of exact attendance,” Ravens Strength & Conditioning Coach Scott Elliott said on April 8. “But I will tell you that (Madubuike) is working his tail off. As I’m sure you’ve seen online, he is in great shape … I’m just excited to see where it goes.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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