The 28-year-old wants a new deal, and the lack of a recent grab that would catapult Lawrence into the upper echelon of his position led to the trade request.
Harbaugh said Tuesday that he spoke with Lawrence when he was initially hired, but he has not had any recent discussions with the three-time Pro Bowler. The veteran coach added that he wasn’t surprised by the moves from Lawrence’s camp, noting that it was just sports.
“We know this is professional football and these things happen every year,” he said. “Pretty much every team. So, not surprised by that. Saw it coming a few weeks ago and had good conversations with Dexter’s agent, Joel Segal, and understood what they were thinking, and this is where we’re at. So, we’ll try to work through it and see where we can do it.”
The mangers would be obliged to work things out with Lawrence. He is an important part of New York’s defense. Big Blue struggled a lot last season when he was out, and there is no obvious replacement on the roster if they trade him. Harbaugh understands the dynamic.
“I don’t know if that’s really the right way to put it, because it doesn’t really work that way,” he said. “It’s not like a Christmas present. It’s a business. The business is to be the best football team we can be.”
The best defense the Giants could put on the field would be Lawrence. Bridging the gap in overtime is the business they must handle.