The Jacksonville Jaguars are in need of upgrades at defensive tackle, so it's not particularly shocking to see them linked to Dexter Lawrence after he requested a trade. They reportedly reached out to the New York Giants to inquire about his availability. Couple that with the fact that general manager James Gladstone has shown a willingness to take big swings, and nobody would bat an eye if the Jags made a strong push to land the three-time Pro Bowl nod.
Jordan Ranaan of ESPN suggests that the G-Men could move Lawrence in return for a late first-round pick or a second. While that seems a bit low for a player of his caliber, he hasn't logged a sack in 22 games. Moreover, the former Clemson Tiger is looking for a new deal, so any team that is considering trading for him will need to take that into account.
Jacksonville could certainly offer its second-round selection in 2026, the 56th overall, but Gladstone may need a bit more to get a deal done. Since Lawrence asked to be traded, several NFL analysts have come up with different proposals, and yet another one has surfaced.
The Jaguars are urged to trade a 1st round pick and Davon Hamilton for Dexter Larwence
Travis D. Holmes of SB Nation suggests the Jaguars trade their first-round pick in 2027 and DaVon Hamilton in exchange for Dexter Lawrence, pointing out that they would get cap relief and an upgrade at defensive tackle.
"But the most serious offer on the table, one that could actually move the needle, would likely involve Jacksonville's 2027 first-round pick, plus a player, with Davon Hamilton being the natural name to attach, as he plays the same position as Lawrence," Holmes wrote. "The 2027 draft class is widely considered loaded, which raises the cost of a 2027 first considerably. Moving Hamilton would also provide Jacksonville with meaningful cap relief."
Holmes points out that Lawrence is coming off a disappointing season. But even then, he was substantially better than Hamilton, racking up 35 total pressures at nose tackle in 2025 while his Jaguars counterpart only logged 11.
The Giants, for their part, haven't necessarily shut down the idea of trading Lawrence. Head coach John Harbaugh said, "We''l find out," when asked if the veteran defensive tackle will remain in New York. However you spin it, that's not a ringing endorsement. If the right offer surfaces, they may be open to shopping him.
Grade the pitch: The Jaguars trade DaVon Hamilton and a 1st-round pick for Dexter Lawrence
The Jaguars probably wouldn't be opposed to moving DaVon Hamilton. While he is a fine starter, he isn't necessarily a game-changer. The former Ohio State Buckeye is entering a contract year and is slated to have a cap hit of $12.4 million with a base salary of $7.4 million. If the Jaguars don't plan to bring him back in 2027, including him as part of a trade package for Dexter Lawrence would certainly make sense.
On the other hand, giving up a first-round selection for Lawrence may be too much, especially if they're as valuable as Travis Holmes suggests. Sure, Jacksonville would be taking care of its biggest roster void, but it would also have to give him a pay bump at some point. This is a long-winded way to say that the team's brass might be devoting too many resources to fixing a need.
Trading for (and later paying) Lawrence would make it challenging for the Jaguars to re-sign wide receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange. Similarly, they could have trouble addressing the larger scale roster in 2027 without a first-round pick.
Simply put, this would be a fine trade albeit a costly one.
Grade: B-