"WTF ARE YALL DOING" - NFL fans rip NY Giants as Dexter Lawrence opts out of offseason program amid unresolved contract

Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence will skip the New York Giants’ 2023 offseason program. The fifth-year player from Clemson is hoping for a contract extension with the team.

Last season, he finished with career highs of 7.5 sacks, 28 quarterback hits, 35 total tackles, and three passes defended. Such numbers helped earn him his first Pro Bowl selection.

For now, Lawrence will play the 2023 season under his fifth-year option. While he will still earn a fully-guaranteed $12.4 million, many Giants fans are furious that Lawrence doesn’t have a long-term deal.

That isn’t the only fan to voice their frustration after ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter shared an update on Dexter Lawrence. This supporter sums up what Giants fans are feeling:

Meanwhile, this fan feels the Giants fanatics would like to let this day pass. He said:

“Giants fans having the worst day of their lives (other than every day they had to watch Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart start at tackle).”

Likewise, this Twitter user put things in perspective by saying:

“OTAs are a joke. They only matter to teams without a great CULTURE. This isn’t an issue the Giants have. #TogetherBlue”

Notably, the Giants are $2.9 million under the $228.4 million 2023 NFL salary cap as of writing.

The Giants clinched a playoff berth last season with a 9-7-1 record, ending a five-year post-season drought.

While Lawrence and Saquon Barkley are still waiting for their contract extensions, the Giants recently signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million extension this offseason.

While some fans have had adverse reactions, others are confident that both sides will come to terms.

Dexter Lawrence is the second Giants starter to skip the team’s offseason program starting next week. Running back Saquon Barkley won’t participate either, after refusing to sign the franchise tag. The Giants have until July 17 to finalize a multi-year contract extension with Barkley.

Meanwhile, Lawrence remains under contract with the Giants for one more season. He will attract a lot of attention when he becomes a free agent after 2023, especially if he has another Pro Bowl-type year.

Other defensive tackles got paid, but Dexter Lawrence hasn’t

The 2023 offseason has been notable for several defensive tackles getting massive contracts. Dalvin Tomlinson signed a three-year, $57-million deal to join the Cleveland Browns. But that’s chump change compared to the four-year, $84 million contract signed by Javon Hargrave to play for the San Francisco 49ers.

Daron Payne also agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension with the Washington Commanders. Finally, Jeffery Simmons got paid a four-year, $94 million extension from the Tennessee Titans. Lawrence’s agent, Joel Segal, will undoubtedly factor in those contracts when negotiating his client’s long-term deal.

The Giants selected Dexter Lawrence in the first round (17th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has missed only two games in four seasons and has increased his tackle count yearly. He has 213 total tackles (21 for losses), 58 quarterback hits, 16.5 sacks, eight passes defended, and four forced fumbles in 64 games.