The Chiefs have been trying for years to pair another elite pass rusher alongside Chris Jones and amplify the defensive line to its peak before Jones’ prime is far along in the rearview mirror. They have secured the talents of George Karlaftis to the tune of $93 million, but last year proved that they need at least one more big piece to bring Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s vision to fruition ASAP.
That piece has been speculated to be coming in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month, even as high as pick number nine, but the New York Giants may have just floundered their way into providing that piece before Las Vegas is ever on the clock in Pittsburgh.
Over the past two offseasons, the Giants have put a Band-Aid on the contract talks with their star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, and now it would appear that he is done talking about it, as he has requested a trade and told new head coach John Harbaugh that he will not be participating in the team’s offseason workout program beginning Tuesday.
This is an interesting opportunity for Chiefs GM Brett Veach, as well as for the entirety of the Chiefs coaching staff, who have shown that they value experience and veteran leadership over new, shiny prospects that they will have to coach up and sprinkle in over the course of the upcoming seasons. If you don’t believe me, just ask Jalen Royals, Nohl Williams, Jaden Hicks, and Jeffrey Bassa.
It’s a great idea, but what would it cost?
The obvious is staring Chiefs Kingdom in the face, and it’s not going to be easy to get around: what will the Giants be willing to take, and how much would the Chiefs be willing to give up?
Lawrence is a former 17th overall pick who was taken back in the 2019 NFL Draft ahead of other defensive tackles like Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons, Washington’s Montez Sweat, and former Chiefs Jerry Tillery and Khalen Saunders. Since he was drafted, he’s accrued 30.5 sacks, 41 tackles for a loss, 15 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and 103 QB hits.
Long story short, the man can play some serious defense off the line when he is healthy and paired alongside a few studs. This has been shown over the course of his seven years, in which he’s only played 14 or fewer games twice (2021, ’24). So how much does New York believe he’s worth?
In all reality, the Chiefs could offer up the second of their two first-round picks thanks to the Trent McDuffie trade, which gave Veach pick #29 to do with as he pleases. But that likely wouldn’t satisfy the Giants’ needs, considering they need a large haul of picks at the draft in a couple of weeks.
One of those needs they have is an offensive lineman, of which the Chiefs have been paying and hoarding for a few years now. Somebody as young and full of potential as 23-year-old Kingsley Suamataia or even Wanya Morris, who has now had quite a few games under his belt at multiple positions.
Perhaps the Chiefs’ second first-round pick (#29), paired with an offensive lineman that is not named Creed, Josh, or Trey, could get it? That could do the trick, but if not, it would be in Veach’s best interest to ask which other pick in 2026 the Giants might want that the Chiefs might be able to let go of.
No matter what it takes, even one of KC’s first-rounders, the Giants would surely love to send their star linemen to an AFC team instead of a conference opponent that they might have to see once Harbaugh brings the team back from mediocrity.
What about Dexter Lawrence’s new contract?
The biggest issue with even thinking about Lawrence in a Chiefs uniform would have to be the money he obviously wants from a new contract. That is the reason he is requesting a trade, and it’s the reason we all want to keep working.
Currently, the Giants have already given Lawrence a four-year, $90 million extension back in 2023, but it is considered “outdated” compared to the DT market that has exploded since then—just look at Chris Jones’ extension back in 2024 (5-years, $158.75M).
This type of attitude regarding his contract will be the biggest bugaboo, and the only way to resolve it would likely be to get rid of one of the bigger contracts on the books like Jaylon Moore (possibly via trade with New York) or even someone like Nick Bolton, who has plenty of up-and-comers behind him on the depth chart along with veteran leadership in Drue Tranquill at the top.
Either way, if the Chiefs’ front office can find an inkling of cash somewhere in the books that could be allocated into Lawrence’s bank account, the return on investment could be another Super Bowl-caliber defense that would take pounds of pressure off Patrick Mahomes’ shoulders and recently torn ACL and LCL.
In the end, the Chiefs have everything laid out on a table in front of them: two first-round picks, nine picks overall in 2026, a possible trade for a defensive nose tackle, and plenty of fans begging to go back to a Super Bowl after missing one for the first time in four years.
