The New York Giants have gone through a lot of ups and downs this season. From the 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in week one to losing Daniel Jones with an ACL injury, it’s not been a great season. Add on to the fact that they are 5-9 on the year, and things have not been very bright in East Rutherford. But, there is one bright spot on this team. This particular player deserves to be in the Pro Bowl. Here is why Dexter Lawrence should be a Pro Bowler.
Arguably The Best Defensive Lineman In The League
I get it. When you think of dominant defensive linemen, you think of guys like Aaron Donald or even Chris Jones from the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs respectively. But, they haven’t played even close to the level that Lawrence has played at this year.
Kayvon Thibodeaux declares that Dexter Lawrence is one of the best interior defensive lineman to ever play football pic.twitter.com/6uahc9r25b
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) December 14, 2023
According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence grades out at 93.0 overall. For reference, Donald’s grade is 89.7 while Jones’s is 81.6.
Lawrence has a run defense grade of 87.9 (2nd) and a pass rush grade of 92.7 (1st). Eye-popping stats from a man who signed an extension with the Giants before the season began. Along with Maxx Crosby, he is the only player to have a grade of 85.0 or more in both categories.
His ability to cause pressure on the quarterback is insane, no matter how many people you have blocking him.
Dexter Lawrence splitting two blockers to get into the face of Jordan Love pic.twitter.com/ViEzj2ABvu
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) December 12, 2023
Sure, 4.5 sacks on the year isn’t the greatest. But, his 37 quarterback pressures are fourth-best among interior linemen. So, maybe those pressures haven’t all registered into sacks. Then again, you have guys like Kayvon Thibodeaux with double-digit sacks because of Lawrence’s impact.
A key reason why the Giants have been solid on defense at times is because of the play of Lawrence. If anyone is a good representative for the Giants at the Pro Bowl, it deserves to be him. Whether he can shed blocks with ease or be impactful in the run-and-pass game, he’s in the discussion for the best interior lineman in the game.
Thanks for reading “Why Dexter Lawrence Should Be A Pro Bowler“. Make sure to visit Belly Up Sports every week and follow me on Twitter/X! Also, check out my podcast “Backup to the Backup” on Spotify and YouTube for more NFL content.
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