Giants' Dexter Lawrence named to Pro Bowl for third straight season
Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II enters the field before a game against the Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 22, 2023. Credit: Ed Murray
During training camp in August, Dexter Lawrence said he was pleased with praise from his peers but also wasn’t satisfied.
“You’ve got to keep earning that respect, and I think that’s what legends do,” he said after being voted 24th in the NFL’s top 100 player rankings in July. “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.”
The respect kept coming Thursday when Lawrence was named a Pro Bowler for the third consecutive season at defensive tackle. Despite being limited to 12 games by an elbow injury, he had his best season statistically.
In his sixth season, he was arguably the Giants’ best player with career highs in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (eight). Lawrence had three multi-sack games, including a career-high three in a win over the Seahawks on Oct. 6.
He’s the first Giant to make three straight Pro Bowls since safety Landon Collins from 20016-18 and the first interior lineman to make three since Rosie Grier (1953, 1956, 1960).
“Good player. Think people recognize that,” coach Brian Daboll said. “[We] certainly miss him out there.”
Lawrence, the team’s lone Pro Bowler, was hurt on Thanksgiving Day in a loss to the Cowboys, a game in which linebacker Bobby Okereke also was lost for the season. The Giants turned to younger players such as Elijah Chatman and Jordon Riley to fill the void.
It didn’t surprise his teammates that Lawrence was honored despite an abbreviated season.
“That just shows the impact he has,” linebacker Brian Burns said. “He’s definitely the best at his position. One of the better defenders in the league, for sure. So it speaks volumes.”
“When I first got here, he was a guy I looked up to from his on-the-field play and then obviously the person he is,” linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said. “But he’s a Hall of Famer in his own right. So I think as long as he continues to do what he’s doing, keep his head down, he’s going to get a gold jacket one day.”
Lawrence recorded all of his sacks by the Giants’ seventh game. He had only one tackle for loss in the next five games, but his presence made things easier for other defenders.
While with the Panthers, Burns had marveled at Lawrence’s play since both were rookies in 2019. As teammates for the first time this season, it didn’t take long for Burns to see why Lawrence made two All-Pro second teams.
“Half the [stuff] he does impresses me,” Burns said. “Our first year together was pretty good. Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish out the season together, but I definitely think it’s a lot of success in our future for years ahead.”
Burns, a two-time Pro Bowler, was named a first alternate this year. Malik Nabers was named a second alternate at receiver after breaking the Giants’ rookie record for receptions last week.
Even while injured, Lawrence encouraged his teammates during their 10-game losing streak. Safety Dane Belton said Lawrence, one of the team’s five captains, briefly appeared in the defensive backs’ meeting last month to offer words of wisdom.
“[It goes] back to him being a leader and the guy he is,” Belton said. “It’s just super-encouraging for us to have a guy like that.”
Lawrence remains the team leader in sacks despite being out for more than a month. Burns is the next closest with eight, so he could tie or pass him in Sunday’s finale against the Eagles.
Burns, however, isn’t using that as motivation.
“That’d be pretty cool, but at the end of the day, he still didn’t play five games,” he said.
It was a reminder of the respect Lawrence commands in the locker room and the respect he has throughout the league.
Notes & quotes: Micah McFadden (neck), Evan Neal (rib/hip) and John Michael Schmitz (ankle) didn’t practice for the second consecutive day . . . Darius Slayton was named the annual winner of the Media Good Guy Award by the Giants’ chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
