Corry: Vernon-Type Deal Required For Lawrence
DeMarcus Lawrence and the Cowboys are going to make another attempt to iron out an extension this week. The fifth-year defensive end wants a five-year deal and doesn’t appear to be too bothered by the proposition of playing this season on the $17.1MM franchise tag. However, if the parties are going to reach an agreement, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry doesn’t expect it to be completed without the Cowboys offering Olivier Vernon-level money to Lawrence (Twitter link). When the cap resided at $155MM in 2016, Vernon signed for $17MM per year and received $52.5MM guaranteed and $40MM fully guaranteed. That per-year salary would make Lawrence the highest-paid 4-3 end in the game, and the a guarantee north of Vernon’s would dwarf the field. Myles Garrett and Calais Campbell lead the 4-3 end pack at $30MM guaranteed.
The Cowboys now have the money ($14MM in cap space with Lawrence’s tag amount factored in) to afford seeing the 2017 breakout player prove he’s worth a monster contract, but doing such a deal now would make Lawrence by far Dallas’ highest-paid defender. Considering the current salary leader on Dallas’ defense, Tyrone Crawford, has not justified a $9MM-per-year contract, this could give the Cowboys pause given Lawrence’s inconsistent history.
Earl Thomas Still On Cowboys' Radar?
More noise is coming out of the Earl Thomas trade front. The Seahawks‘ status as a rebuilding team — one that’s lost core defenders Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman, Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor — should make them come back to the Cowboys about the Thomas trade the teams discussed on draft weekend, Brian Broaddus of the Cowboys’ website said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
“The Cowboys have to look at their situation at safety and figure out is this going to be good enough? Are we able to compete for a division? To get in the playoffs? Could Earl Thomas be a guy, could he be a difference-maker?” Broaddus said, (via the Dallas Morning News). “I feel like that the Earl Thomas situation still is in play. It’s just a matter of where Seattle is going to be. I don’t believe Earl Thomas is going to sit out games for Seattle. I really, really don’t. You’re talking about a guy that makes over $10 million. Players just don’t leave those checks on the field just for principle, for that reason. I think that Seattle is going to have to figure out something. The Cowboys are going to have to figure out something. And maybe they do work something out there.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard the Seahawks-Cowboys connection potentially resurfacing regarding an employer change for the All-Pro safety. Thomas skipped minicamp and has one year left on his deal, but the Cowboys are thin at safety to the point it’s logical the sides will revisit these talks.
Cowboys, DeMarcus Lawrence To Meet Next Week
The Cowboys and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence are expected to meet next week, according to Calvin Watkins of The Athletic. Lawrence is seeking a five-year deal, a source tells Watkins, but he’s not in a rush to sign. 
As we’ve heard before, Lawrence is willing to play out the season on his one-year, $17.1MM franchise tag. He’s also waiting things out to see if at least one of the other top defenders will sign an extension first. That means waiting on Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, and Jadeveon Clowney, though Lawrence is the only one in the group that is actually bound by a deadline. Franchise tagged players have until July 16 to sign extensions, so Lawrence may be compelled to act first.
Lawrence, 26, had 14.5 sacks in 2017. That total was the most by a Cowboys player since DeMarcus Ware had 19 in 2011. The Cowboys also notched 38 sacks as a team, giving them their highest total overall since ’11.
The Cowboys would obviously like to lock Lawrence up for years to come, but they probably have some reservations as well. Specifically, his back issues. Lawrence has undergone surgery in the past, though he did not miss any games last season.
Lawrence may be gunning to top Olivier Vernon‘s five-year, $85MM deal with the Giants and his agent – the same one that represents Vernon – wants at least $17MM/year. For what it’s worth, Lawrence’s ’17 sack total nearly doubled Vernon’s total from his contract year. He also graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 ranked DE, putting him behind only Cameron Jordan and Von Miller amongst edge rushers.
Cowboys Open To Lawrence Playing On Tag?
- With less than two weeks left until the deadline for teams to sign franchise-tagged players to extensions, might the Cowboys consider letting DeMarcus Lawrence play on the tag? The Cowboys may be somewhat skittish about the defensive end’s injury history, per Jori Epstein of the Dallas Morning News, and would like to see if Lawrence can duplicate his breakout 2017 season. While Lawrence is set to count $17MM-plus toward Dallas’ 2018 cap, the team already finalized an extension with Zack Martin and still has $14.8MM worth of cap space. And the Cowboys did not replace Dez Bryant or Jason Witten with big-money pass-catchers, so they may now be in position to take a wait-and-see approach with Lawrence.
Earl Thomas' Cowboys Fandom Not Secret Among Seahawks
- Apparently, Earl Thomas‘ Cowboys fandom did not stop once he joined the Seahawks. The east Texas native has been connected to the Cowboys via trade throughout the offseason, and he seemed to light that fuse after the Seahawks’ Week 16 win in Dallas last season. Cliff Avril observed Thomas discuss watching Cowboys games as a fan while with the Seahawks, but it’s not like the since-released defensive end saw that affect the three-time All-Pro’s game. “Everyone in (the Seahawks’) locker room knows Earl loves the Cowboys,” Avril said during a Sirius XM Radio interview (Twitter link). “He’d leave immediately after work just to catch them play Monday Night Football. We didn’t take it too serious. Whatever team he dresses up for he’s gonna do his thing.” Thomas and the Seahawks remain at an impasse as the last remaining Legion of Boom bastion continues his holdout.
July 16 Marks NFL’s Franchise Tag Extension Deadline
This year, the deadline for teams to reach extensions with franchise tagged players falls on July 16. If the following four players do not agree to new contracts in the coming days, they will be ticketed for free agency in 2019:
- Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell
- Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah
- Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence
- Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner
For Bell, the absence of a deal all but guarantees that he will be allowed to explore the open market next season. That’s because this is the second year in a row that Bell has been hit with the tag. He’ll make $14.544MM this season if no extension deal is reached, but a third tag would cost Pittsburgh more than $20MM. For the rest, the possibility of a second franchise tag remains, though the requisite 20% increase could prevent teams from applying the tender.
The rules of the franchise tag dictate that teams have until mid-July to hammer out an extension with players. If not, the two sides are barred from engaging in contract talks until after the season has concluded.
From 2013-2017, 16 of the league’s 33 franchise tagged players agreed to extensions before the summer deadline. This year, it’s hard to say whether deals will be reached for any of the players in question. Bell is looking for a deal that will reflect his production as a top running back and a No. 2 wide receiver. The defensive ends, Ansah and Lawrence, know that teams are willing to overpay for quality edge rushers in free agency. Joyner, meanwhile, may be content to let the Rams control his fate since he’ll either make $11MM+ this year and hit free agency, or earn $25MM through two franchise tags and reach the open market in 2020.
Then again, a serious injury could derail any member of this quartet, so there’s something to be said for financial security over monetary upside. Joyner, in particular, could be quietly eager to sign a multi-year deal after watching a dismal free agent safety market play out this offseason.
What we do know for sure is that the next 12 days will be worth monitoring.
Poll: Which Team Will Sign Dez Bryant?
Dez Bryant, to our knowledge, has not drawn a significant offer since turning down a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens. As his market stagnated, Bryant’s camp leaked word that he would not be signing until July. Well, here we are.
We’ve heard very little about Bryant over the last four weeks, so it’s anyone’s guess as to where he’ll land. And, if it’s anyone’s guess, it might as well be our guess. Before we ask you predict where Bryant will land, let’s run down some of the possible contenders: 
49ers – Bryant has openly lobbied for an opportunity with the Niners and there’s reason to believe that could become a reality. The 49ers stayed away from the wide receivers at the top of this year’s free agent market, but Bryant’s price tag figures to be a lot lower than that of Sammy Watkins or Allen Robinson. With more than $45MM in cap room – good for third-highest in the NFL – the Niners certainly have the space to take on a player of Bryant’s caliber. And, because they have an eye on the future, they could be willing to give Bryant the one-year platform deal he is seeking. The 49ers have some talent at wide receiver including Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin, but none of the receivers expected to make the roster are above 6’0″. Bryant – billed at 6’2″ – would give provide them with a tall red zone target.
Bills – Outside of No. 1 WR Kelvin Benjamin, the Bills have tons of question marks at the position. Bryant is the best wide receiver still available (or, at least, the biggest name left), so he could make some sense as the player to supplant the unreliable Zay Jones as the team’s No. 2 WR. Bills GM Brandon Beane didn’t sound enthusiastic when talking about Bryant back in April, but he didn’t explicitly rule him out either.
Cardinals – After losing both John Brown and Jaron Brown, the Cardinals could be interested in adding some talent to their wide receiver group. Then again, they may already feel comfortable with J.J. Nelson, rookie Christian Kirk, and free agent addition Brice Butler behind Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals have upwards of $13MM in cap space, according to the NFLPA, so they have the cash necessary to sign Bryant if they want him.
Cowboys – When the Cowboys released Bryant earlier this year, they were not aware of Jason Witten‘s impending retirement. Months later, could they circle back to Bryant in order to fortify their lackluster WR group? Probably not, but we’ll put them on the board anyway and let you decide.
Eagles – After Bryant was released, he indicated that he wanted to play in the NFC East in order to face the Cowboys pay twice in 2018. The Eagles, in theory, could make some sense now that Torrey Smith is out of the picture and Alshon Jeffery is out for the offseason with a shoulder injury. However, the Eagles already have a new veteran in Mike Wallace and their $6MM in cap space might not be enough to land Bryant, even if they wanted him.
Packers – The Packers have been speculatively linked to Bryant over the last few months. Some see a potential fit, but others, such as Aaron Rodgers, do not. The Packers are now without Jordy Nelson, but they drafted three wide receivers while retaining Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison, so there might not be any room in the inn.
Patriots – The Patriots will be without Julian Edelman for the first four games of the year, which could lead them to consider Bryant. They also have a history of signing older big-name wide receivers with reputation problems, including Randy Moss and Chad Johnson (some worked out better than others), so the possibility of adding the mercurial Bryant cannot be discounted. On the other hand, they have plenty of weapons to get them through the opening month of the season in Chris Hogan, Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Phillip Dorsett, and Cordarrelle Patterson, not to mention Malcolm Mitchell and speedy rookie Braxton Berrios, who may or may not make the final cut. There’s also a tight end by the name of Rob Gronkowski who should be able to catch an extra pass or two while Edelman is out.
Saints – With a wide receiver group of Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., free agent addition Cameron Meredith, third round pick Tre’Quan Smith, and Brandon Coleman, is there room for Bryant? Not necessarily, but there also wasn’t a clear spot for Adrian Peterson in New Orleans before the Saints signed him last year. The Saints have a little more than $7MM in cap space, which could be enough to sign Bryant depending on his market at this stage of the offseason and his desire to play for a contender.
Redskins – Former teammate Orlando Scandrick has advocated for Washington to sign Bryant and the Redskins would give him the opportunity to face the Cowboys twice per year. The problem, however, is that the Redskins seem pretty set at the top of the order with Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Paul Richardson.
Titans – The Titans have talent at wide receiver, but Rishard Matthews‘ support staff is decidedly inexperienced. With Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor, and Tajae Sharpe all yet to celebrate their 24th birthday, could the Titans consider Bryant? In theory, he would add some experience to the group, but he might not be a great influence on the younger guys.
Click below to make your choice and defend your decision in the comment section:
Poll: Who Will Be The First Coach To Get Fired This Season?
It’s a new year for every coach in the NFL, but not every coach will survive the year. Already, there’s speculation about which coaches could be on the hot seat in 2018. Some coaches with shaky job security may include:
- Hue Jackson, Browns: Jackson is the oddsmaker’s favorite to lose his job first. After compiling a 1-31 record in his two seasons at the helm in Cleveland, it’s hard to argue with the professionals. Jackson certainly has more talent to work with thanks to the arrivals of running back Carlos Hyde, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, and a vastly improved secondary, but along with that comes raised expectations. When also considering that Jackson is a holdover from the previous regime and not necessarily the preferred choice of new GM John Dorsey, it’s quite possible that Jackson could be ousted with another bad start.
- Adam Gase, Dolphins: When Gase was hired in 2016, he was the league’s youngest head coach at the age of 38. He earned a playoff appearance in his first year on the sidelines, but last year turned ugly after quarterback Ryan Tannehill was lost for the season and replaced by Jay Cutler. Tannehill’s return should help matters, but it’s fair to wonder whether this team has improved much at all after losing Ndamukong Suh on the other side of the ball. The Dolphins’ early schedule may also hurt Gase as they open against the Titans, Jets, Raiders, and Patriots. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Dolphins split those games, like they did in 2017, but it’s also conceivable that they could open the year 0-4. As you can probably guess, an 0-4 start is historically difficult to climb out from. Of the 117 teams that have started 0-4 in the 16-game era, the ’92 Chargers are the ones to have reached the postseason with with an 11-win campaign. The 2004 Bills and the 2017 Chargers both rallied to win nine games, but neither club reached the playoffs.
- Marvin Lewis, Bengals: The Lewis saga took some weird twists and turns last season. In the midst of a second-straight season without a playoff appearance, there was speculation about Lewis’ job security. Then, in December, we started hearing rumblings that Lewis might leave the Bengals to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Ultimately, Lewis was signed to a two-year extension to, theoretically, keep him under contract for his 16th and 17th seasons in Cincinnati. Lewis has avoided lame duck status for 2018, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll survive the year if the Bengals falter.
- Vance Joseph, Broncos: Joseph was nearly axed after the 2017 season before John Elway ultimately decided to retain him. The Broncos’ defense is still jam-packed with talent and they have a capable quarterback in Case Keenum, so anything short of a playoff appearance will be a disappointment in Denver. This will be Joseph’s second season at the helm in Denver, but it’s clear that he is under pressure it win.
- Dirk Koetter, Buccaneers: Koetter was already believed to be on the hot seat but he was placed squarely behind the 8-ball last week when quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended for the first three games of the season. Even if the Bucs come out of September unscathed, they’ll be up against an overall schedule that is the fourth-toughest in the NFL, based on the combined win percentage of opponents in 2017.
The list goes on from there. Jay Gruden (Redskins), Todd Bowles (Jets), Bill O’Brien (Texans), Jason Garrett (Cowboys), John Harbaugh (Ravens), and Ron Rivera (Panthers) could also be in varying degrees of jeopardy with disappointing seasons. We’d be surprised to see a quick hook for Garrett, Harbaugh, or Rivera no matter what happens, but you may feel differently.
Click below to make your pick for who will be the first to get the axe. Then, you can head to the comment section to back up your choice.
This Date In Transactions History: NFL Suspends Gates, McClain, Richardson
The days leading up to the Fourth of July aren’t necessarily a hotbed of activity in the NFL. But, sometimes, the league office will use the cover of the holiday weekend to drop some unfavorable news. That’s what the NFL did on July 2, 2015 when it announced the suspensions of three notable players. 
Three years ago today, the league announced suspensions for Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson, and Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain. All three players were banned for the first four games of the season – Gates for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy and McClain and Richardson for substance abuse policy violations.
Gates issued a statement soon after the suspension came down, saying that he tested positive for a substance that he was unaware was on the league’s banned list. At the time, it felt like the ban could signal the end of the Gates era in San Diego and the beginning of the Ladarius Green era. Green had flashed his immense physical tools in the past, but was buried behind Gates on the tight end depth chart. Green was productive in Gates’ absence, but Gates came storming back when he took the field and finished ahead of Green in all major statistical categories. In the following year, Green went on to sign an ill-fated contract with the Steelers and Gates remained as the team’s primary tight end.
Richardson’s suspension, meanwhile, probably hurt his standing with his team. Richardson’s suspension gave rookie Leonard Williams a chance to shine and further reinforced the perception of him as a bad teammate. The former first-round pick turned in the worst season of his career to date and lost upwards of $600K in salary and bonus money as a result of the suspension. The Jets tried hard to trade Richardson throughout the 2016 season, but could not find any takers. Then, just before the start of the ’17 campaign, they shipped him to the Seahawks for wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and a second-round pick.
McClain’s suspension was the result of violating the league’s substance abuse policy for a fourth time in his NFL career. In a statement, McClain vowed that he would “not break the rules of [his] profession in the future.” Unfortunately, he was unable to keep that promise. In 2016, McClain was suspended for substance abuse yet again, this time for ten games. He later failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. McClain has reportedly battled an addiction to “purple drank” (a mixture of codeine-based cold medication and soda) and there has been no word of a potential comeback in some time.
This Date In Transactions History: Rolando McClain
When linebacker Rolando McClain was handed a 10-game suspension on this date in 2016, it was assumed he’d be back for the Cowboys’ late-season run. However, two years later, it’s uncertain if the 28-year-old will ever play in the NFL again.
The 2010 first-round pick had three productive seasons with the Raiders, although it was accompanied by its fair share of controversy. In 2012, he was booted from team practices after several incidents, and McClain subsequently took to Facebook to complain about the organization, going as far as to say that he wanted “to be anywhere besides here.” He was released by the team the next offseason before briefly catching on with the Ravens. However, less than a month after signing with Baltimore, McClain suddenly announced his retirement.
The Cowboys then took a bit of a risk trading for the linebacker in 2014, despite the fact that McClain had sat out the previous season. It ended up paying off for Dallas, as the linebacker would go on to appear in 13 games for his new team, compiling 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He earned his first suspension from the NFL the following offseason, limiting him to only 11 games in 2015, although he still collected 80 tackles and a pair of sacks.
After signing another one-year deal with the Cowboys during the 2016 offseason, McClain was handed the 10-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He then failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. Following his third ban in two years, it doesn’t sound like McClain will be making a return anytime soon. Since he was suspended indefinitely, we’ve only heard one bit of news about McClain: a 2017 arrest for firearm and drug charges.
Two years ago today, the Cowboys were surely disappointed hearing about McClain’s suspension. However, it’s unlikely they would have thought that he’d be out of the NFL two years later.