I hope Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears see this message.
Actually, no, I don’t.
Because I hope Poles is on the phone right now—I mean it, as we speak—with the New York Giants after Adam Schefter just broke the news that All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has just requested a trade and will not be attending OTAs as a sign of his displeasure with contract negotiations.
If the Giants ignore him? Call back every five minutes until they give a price. And then keep them on the phone—24 hours, if you
have to—until you come to an agreement.
Okay, that’s a little extreme, but you have to understand: this is exactly what the Bears need.
As of right now, this team doesn’t have a path to the kind of elite interior defensive lineman they’ll need to make the rapid jump from a poor defense to a good one, the way a team like the New England Patriots just did when they signed Milton Williams to a huge contract last offseason. Sure, Peter Woods or Kayden McDonald might help. But will they dominate out of the gate? Probably not.
Lawrence changes that immediately.
Even in a “down” year with the lowly Giants, Lawrence’s 75.6 defensive grade was still 13th among all interior defenders after several years of being arguably the best in the game. He also continues to be one of the game’s best interior pass rushers, ranking seventh in pass rush grade (84.5) last season. Put him on a serious team, and his level of play likely rises back up to its normal standards.
The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time Second Team All-Pro defensive tackle is a true multiplier at arguably the most important position in Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme. When you put him next to Gervon Dexter Sr.—again, similar to the Patriots’ dynamic with Williams and Christian Barmore—the interior of the Bears’ defensive line becomes far more dangerous, opening the door for linebackers like Devin Bush to just run fast and clean things up.
What’s more: while Lawrence is huge (6-4, 342 pounds), he can really move at that size, making him a potentially better fit for the three-technique spot than, say, Andrew Billings was.
Lawrence won’t come cheap, of course, and that’s not just a reference to draft capital.
He’s halfway through a four-year, $90 million contract extension and will no doubt be looking for a raise based on some of the deals that have surpassed his, like Williams’. To make that move, the Bears would have to do some restructuring of current contracts or offload some extra money.
But the price, with the Bears hoping to take things further after a second-round playoff exit last season and maximize their contention window on Caleb Williams’ rookie deal, is worth it. The Bears won’t find a guy better than Lawrence in the draft this year, and grabbing him means they can focus on shoring up one of their other positions of need, including adding talent at safety, linebacker, and defensive end.
Sometimes, good things come to those who wait. Lawrence’s availability could be a godsend for the Bears.
So get on the phone, Mr. Poles, and make it happen.
