Giants legend Carl Banks is putting Dexter Lawrence on blast.
Lawrence, an elite interior defensive lineman considered one of the best players in the NFL, is having a substandard year as the Giants sputter through a 2-6 start, and Banks believes the players lining up against him don’t see him as a threat anymore, particularly after dislocating his elbow last season.
“Dexter Lawrence, nobody respects you anymore. Nobody,” Banks said on his “Bleav in Giants” podcast with radio partner Bob Papa after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. “Your opponents do not — the pre-injury Dexter is not there in their heads. They don’t respect you. And there’s a difference. You’re on the field, they’re blocking you with a [five]-year backup center. You’re not making a difference. The old Dexter would. There are a lot of things that go into your performance, only you know what that is. Whether you’re still recovering or not, I’m just telling you now, I’m looking at enough tape to know that your opponents don’t respect you, not like they used to.”
Brett Toth, a 29-year-old backup guard, filled in as the Eagles’ starting center on Sunday with Cam Jurgens out injured, and Lawrence, 27, did not take advantage in one-on-one situations.
Banks said that the Giants’ other interior linemen — Darius Alexander, Roy Robertson-Harris and D.J. Davidson — were making plays against the same guys blocking Lawrence.
“It’s time for you to start expecting more of yourself,” Banks said of Lawrence. “I don’t know if you’re injured, I don’t know if you’re fully recovered, but it’s time to start asking more of yourself.”
After racking up a career-high nine sacks in 12 games and earning his third straight Pro Bowl nod last season before his injury, Lawrence has just half a sack — which he recorded Sunday — in eight games this year. He has just one tackle for a loss and four QB hits.
A first-round pick by the Giants in 2019, Lawrence signed a four-year, $90 million contract extension before the 2023 season that runs through 2027.
