The New York Giants are entering a crucial offseason in which they are faced with many franchise-altering decisions.
They need to figure out how to keep their core players such as quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Saquon Barkley, and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in the building with new contracts.
The Jones and Barkley situations need immediate attention as they are scheduled to become free agents in five weeks while Lawrence is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.
Lawrence will earn $12.407 million this season — the amount of his one-year option — but the Giants want the Pro Bowler under contract for longer than that and will likely ink him to an extension.
How much will that cost them? Quite a bit as top defensive linemen around the league, such as the Jets’ Quinnen Williams and Kansas City’s Chris Jones, are expected to cash in big this offseason.
Jones, a four-time Pro Bowler, spoke about his — and others’ — impending contract situations with the media at the Super Bowl this week.
“I hope those guys blow the market out,” Jones said, via the New York Post. “They have been playing outstanding for their organizations. Dexter Lawrence did an amazing job this year. [The Titans’] Jeffery Simmons has been a stud for years. Quinnen Williams, what he’s done in New York with his snaps is ridiculous. I think those guys will deserve a payday. I hope they reset the market and keep it going. That’s what it’s all about.”
Lawrence was named to his first Pro Bowl this year. The former 2019 first-round pick has improved each year he’s been with the Giants and now the time has come for them to buck up and show their appreciation.
