The Cowboys are not planning to let Demarcus Lawrence test free agency after his breakout season.
They will not place the franchise tag on the fifth-year defensive end on Tuesday — the first day teams can do so — but do plan to by March 6 (the last day this option is on the table for teams), David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter). Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones confirmed Dallas will deploy the tender if necessary, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
The sides will then begin negotiations toward a long-term deal and have until July 16 to do so. This will take one of the top UFAs off the market. A defensive end tag will cost the Cowboys $17.5MM. Without Lawrence on their 2018 books, the Cowboys are projected to enter the ’18 league year with $19.1MM in cap space. They will have to do a bit of work to create more in order to be a player in free agency.
Lawrence was not expected to head there after his Pro Bowl campaign. The Cowboys were set to begin negotiations this month with their former second-round pick and have established retaining him as their top offseason priority.
After an inconsistent first three seasons featuring injuries and a suspension, Lawrence dominated in his contract year by registering 14.5 sacks. He picked up 7.5 in the Cowboys’ first three games and collected at least one sack in each of Dallas’ first seven contests, doing so for a team that’s been in search of edge help since cutting DeMarcus Ware after the 2013 season. Dallas essentially drafted Lawrence to replace Ware and now intends to pay him in hopes of the sides establishing a long-term Cowboys partnership like the franchise had with Ware.
They should probably just keep drafting pass rushers named DeMarcus
Need to free up some cash boys. Extensions, restructures, pretty soon it’s game over if Dak pans out he will need to get paid, and joke QBs get 15M per.
Witten and Dez come off the books by then. Probably Tyron too
Tyron is on a very long team and very team friendly deal. Might be a 10 year deal actually, can’t remember. Need that back to be
It’s 8 years and almost $110 million after signing bonus and incentives
His cap figure is the problem. (Smith that is). 17.5 – restructure saves 7.2M. Restructure Dez save 5.7. Fred saves 7.3, Witten 3.8 those are the biggest savings % wise.
Really they need to draft some competent replacements for the future this year and next year. Corner, Safety, DE, ILB, WR, OL. Obvious 1st round target is Roquan Smith ILB GA.
Tyrone Crawford, Romos dead money, scandrick, Beasley
He needs to play out the tag without an extension and prove it again. He’s a one hit wonder at this point but is looking for $18 million a year over 5 years. That kinda deal has no value at all for the cowboys right now.
Well 8 sacks in 2015, 14.5 last year. Your fear is Muhammad Wilkerson-itis. Paid then mails it in.