Dexter Lawrence has quest for Giants teammates as he continues dominance

The most dominant player in Giants training camp is sharing the same message with his teammates on both sides of the ball. 

“I don’t want to be at the Pro Bowl by myself,” defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “The mindset for me is to push everybody.” 

Lawrence, 26, is a consecutive two-time Pro Bowler who looks as dominant as ever caving in the pocket during practices.

If his 6-foot-4, 340-pound body felt any effects of Friday’s sweltering heat, his teammates didn’t notice it because his uncommon conditioning level showed.

“God must have blinked when he was making me, but he had everybody in the lab with Dex,” said Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who lines up next to Lawrence on most snaps. “Extra on the arms, extra on the legs, don’t forget the speed, super powerful, extra big. I’m like, ‘C’mon, the Incredible Hulk? That’s who I’m playing with?’” 

Lawrence was just named the No. 24 player on the NFL Top 100 list, as voted upon by his peers.

It was the highest ranking for any Giant since Saquon Barkley was No. 19 in 2019. 

Barkley also was the only teammate at the Pro Bowl with Lawrence in 2022, before the two-time Second-Team All-Pro Lawrence’s solo trip in 2023. 

“You’ve got to keep earning that respect. I think that’s what legends do,” Lawrence said. “At this point, I want to keep earning those respects, and keep having people feel my dominance and see the type of player I am.” 

What type of player is he? 

Lawrence has 81 quarterback pressures when lined up as a true nose tackle over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

The next-highest totals across the NFL belong to Derrick Brown and Christian Barmore (16 apiece). 

Giants offensive line newcomer Jermaine Eluemunor (6-4, 338) took an accidental shot to the ribs from Lawrence on the first practice of camp and compared it to getting hit by a truck. 

“He’s taking up two, three guys at a time,” linebacker Bobby Okereke said. 

It’s a strength that the Giants can’t afford to lose in the scheme change from defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to Shane Bowen.

Retaining defensive line coach Andre Patterson, whose decision to move Lawrence over the center two seasons ago sparked his breakout, was key for continuity. 

Finding new ways to get better is the next step in the former first-round draft pick’s prime. 

“I think that comes from within and watching yourself and seeing things that you can improve on,” Lawrence said. “There’s never a perfect player out there, so I’m hard on myself. Every day I come out here and I mess up on a little thing, I write it down and I correct it the next day. That’s kind of my thought process.” 

In an alternate world, Lawrence might have his Clemson teammate and best friend Christian Wilkins around to challenge him this season. 

If the Giants’ blockbuster sign-and-trade with the Panthers for edge rusher Brian Burns fell through, Plan B to upgrade the pass rush was to pursue Wilkins in free agency, as indicated on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” 

The parameters of a five-year, $141.5 extension with Burns were put in place just a few hours before Wilkins benefited from a market that Lawrence helped set (four-year, $90 million extension) to sign his own four-year, $110 million contract with the Raiders. 

“I didn’t think [Wilkins] was serious about it. He’s where he’s supposed to be, happy for him,” Lawrence said. “[Burns] helps us all learn how to rush together and how to just be a dominant defense. He brings a mindset I didn’t think that he really had to the defense. It’s this aggressive, attacking mindset. He’s flashy. I love this addition, and he’s going to be special.” 

So maybe Burns joins Lawrence in Orlando in January. Or maybe it’s an interior offensive lineman who won’t face a responsibility tougher in games than he does in practice. 

“When I have plays out there, I’m just attacking them and letting them feel what it feels like to give a block against a great player,” Lawrence said. “I think that’s my role on this team.”