Demarcus Lawrence - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys Rumors: Earl Thomas, Witten, Draft

March 1st, 2019 at 8:14pm CST by Micah Powell

Seahawks free agent safety Earl Thomas is expected seek $15MM a year with his next deal, The Athletic’s Calvin Watkins tweets.

Watkins notes that figure might be too high for the Cowboys. Though possessing plenty of cap space this offseason, the team is expected to use most of that money in signing Demarcus Lawrence to a long-term deal and working on extensions for players like Dak Prescott and Byron Jones.

Thomas and the Cowboys have long been linked ever since the All-Pro safety told head coach Jason Garrett to “come get him” following a 2017 game. The Cowboys and Seahawks were in talks on trades for the star defender in the offseason but could not come to an agreement on draft-round compensation.

Thomas, a Texas native and longtime Cowboys fan, reportedly will not take a “hometown” discount with the team and is also expected to be courted by the 49ers.

Here’s more surrounding the Cowboys:

When asked whether the newly signed Jason Witten is a “coach in waiting,” owner Jerry Jones said that he will be with the team in the future, whether that is as a coach or in another position, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen tweets. After a year-long hiatus, Witten made a shocking decision when he decided to come back for another season in 2019. Long considered a future NFL coach, Witten is sure to make a move in that direction following what is, presumably, his last season.
Speaking of Witten, when the future Hall of Famer rejoined the team, it was expected the Cowboys would not take a tight end early in the draft. That might not be the case, as the team has already met with Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson, The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota tweets. Though they might have interest, the Cowboys do not possess their first-round pick thanks to the Amari Cooper trade and the college standout will likely be gone before their Day 2 selection.
Like we said earlier, the Cowboys are expected to use most of their cap space to resign their own players this year. The team has already met with the agents for Prescott, Jones and Cooper, and are expected to meet with Lawrence’s agent tonight, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill Jr. tweets. They have not met with Ezekiel Elliott‘s agent yet, but have indicated plenty of interest in resigning him at some point.

Cowboys Make Offer To DeMarcus Lawrence

February 26th, 2019 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys made an offer defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence recently, team executive Stephen Jones says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer). Jones is hopeful that the two sides will reach a long-term accord before March 5, the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag. The Cowboys will start extension talks in earnest with agent David Canter later this week at the combine in Indianapolis.

“It’s the last day you’ve got to tag him but at the end of the day we know it’s not over if it doesn’t get done by then,” Jones said. “I hate to put deadlines on anything. Would we like to get it done? I’d like to have it done yesterday. We’ve just got to continue to work.”

Lawrence has said that he will not cooperate with a second consecutive franchise tag, so the Cowboys are holding off on using the placeholder. The $20.5MM would keep him from the open market, but it would also mean that Lawrence will be a no-show for the offseason program and training camp. Beyond that, a holdout could extend into the regular season.

In 2017, Lawrence recorded 14.5 sacks, 58 total tackles, and four forced fumbles. Instead of doing a long-term deal last year, the Cowboys asked him to prove himself once more. He answered with 10.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, and a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod, so this time the asking price is even higher.

Lawrence’s targeted deal is unclear, but he may be looking to match or top the contracts of Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack. Those recent pacts topped the $22MM mark in average annual value.

Cowboys To Wait On DeMarcus Lawrence Tag

February 18th, 2019 at 2:03pm CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, NFL teams can begin placing the franchise tag on pending free agents. The Cowboys, however, will not be taking that step right away with pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram hears.

Lawrence has already made it clear that he will not go along with a second consecutive tag, so the Cowboys are looking to avoid a contentious negotiation with the 26-year-old (27 in April). Instead, they will take a wait-and-see approach while keeping the tag option in their back pocket up until the March 5 deadline.

If tagged, Lawrence would make $20.5MM in 2019 per the terms of his second-time tender. From there, they’ll have a few months before the franchise tag extension deadline in the summer to hammer out a long-term deal.

Last year, the Cowboys pushed Lawrence to prove himself all over again with a productive and healthy year. He delivered with 10.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, and a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.

Ezekiel Elliott Considering Holdout?

January 28th, 2019 at 6:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Todd Gurley‘s record-setting running back deal affected Le’Veon Bell‘s decision-making in Pittsburgh this year, and it may play a role in how Ezekiel Elliott proceeds in 2019.

The Cowboys’ All-Pro running back has one year remaining on his contract, but with the team having an easy fifth-year option decision coming, Elliott may be in a tough spot. Dallas has a host of extension-eligible players, five of whom — DeMarcus Lawrence, Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper and Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith— either a franchise tag candidate or entering a contract year. Elliott having two years of team control left may move him to the back of the re-up queue, despite Dallas brass’ goal of signing him long-term.

An Elliott holdout will be a risk, sources told Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the longer this drags on this offseason. With the Cowboys having no incentive to pay Elliott now, there may be more noise on this front as the offseason unfolds.

While Gurley received his extension with two years remaining on his contract, Elliott is also in the same position Aaron Donald was in 2017. Donald held out and missed the Rams’ first two games en route to defensive player of the year acclaim.

Elliott, 23, is due $3.58MM in 2019. His fifth-year option would come in north of $10MM in 2020. But Gurley’s four-year, $57.5MM deal altered the market. With Elliott winning rushing titles in both of the seasons in which he was a full Cowboys participant, the leverage he will have is removing himself from an offense dependent on his talents.

The Cowboys stand to hold more than $54MM in cap space and have taken care of three Elliott blockers, the most recent coming with Zack Martin‘s guard-record contract in 2018. Considering Elliott’s importance to the team, usage rate and the non-Gurley running backs’ position within the NFL salary landscape, a holdout would certainly make sense to see if the Cowboys would buckle and pay him this year rather than in 2020.

A Lawrence holdout also may be on the horizon, per Hill. Although, this could be expected given that the Cowboys may franchise him again. Lawrence signed his tender immediately last year and attended Cowboys offseason workouts, however.

Demarcus Lawrence To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

January 26th, 2019 at 9:13pm CST by Micah Powell

Cowboys Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is expected to undergo offseason surgery on his shoulder, though a time and place has yet to be discussed, the Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota tweets.

Lawrence has reportedly played with a torn labrum for the past two seasons, and he is now going to get it fixed.

Lawrence’s name will be a popular one this coming offseason. Not for his rehab of this likely minor injury, but for his contract status with the Cowboys. After playing the 2017 campaign on the franchise tag, the pass-rushing end will be looking to ink a long-term deal with the Cowboys in the coming weeks.

Dallas has substantial cap space — a projected $54MM — and Jerry Jones hinted they are more comfortable giving Lawrence a long-term deal following his standout 2018 campaign. If a deal cannot be reached, however, the Cowboys would likely use the franchise tag again, which would likely not sit well with Lawrence, who has professed his desire with the Cowboys.

“If they don’t want this energy and intensity and this focus every day to get better, then make your move. The ball is in their hands. I feel like I’ve prepared for this moment and showed them I’m here for the long haul.”

Should the Cowboys place the tag on him again in 2019, Lawrence would stand to make around $20.5MM.

Latest On Cowboys, Demarcus Lawrence

January 23rd, 2019 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, the Cowboys and Demarcus Lawrence were unable to come to terms on a long-term deal, which resulted in Lawrence playing out the season on the one-year franchise tag. This time around, it sounds like the Cowboys are much more eager to get something done.

“I wouldn’t say we were a long ways apart; we were apart,” Jones said of last year’s talks (via Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas News). “Certainly DeMarcus has done his part to make us feel more comfortable. He put together now two back-to-back, double-digit sack seasons. Of course he’s a leader by example. … Nothing’s changed in terms of my opinion, except for the better.”

Lawrence was plagued by back issues earlier in his career, but he has now turned in two consecutive healthy seasons. In 2017, he had 14.5 sacks, 58 total tackles, and four forced fumbles. This year, he had 10.5 sacks, 64 stops, two forced fumbles, and an interception. The Cowboys asked for a repeat of ’17 and they more or less got it, which has made them comfortable with a longer arrangement.

Last year, Lawrence earned $17.143MM under the franchise tender, but he has already said he’s not open to playing on the tag in 2019. Both sides now seem on the same page, but a new deal for Lawrence won’t come cheap. The Cowboys defensive star may have his eye on deals signed by Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, which each exceeded the $22MM/year mark.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones On Elliott, Linehan

January 15th, 2019 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is determined to hammer out new deals with running back Ezekiel Elliott, quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence, and cornerback Byron Jones. However, he’s stopping short of any guarantees on those fronts.

“I want him in the short-term and the long-term,” Jones said of Prescott in a radio interview (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas News).

He expressed the same sentiment about Elliott, Lawrence, and Jones while tempering expectations.

“Now, getting [those contracts done]…hell, I want a bigger boat,” said Jones.

This was an up-and-down year for Prescott, but the Cowboys seem committed to moving forward with the 25-year-old (26 in July). As it stands, they have the former fifth-round pick under contract for an $816K cap figure through 2019, which should work to the team’s advantage – given his relative lack of earnings to date, Prescott may take the security of a below-market long-term deal over the gamble of free agency next year.

New deals for Elliott and Lawrence will be expensive propositions, but the Cowboys are planning to devote a big chunk of their $54MM+ in cap space towards keeping the band together.

Later in the interview, Jones declined to give offensive coordinator Scott Linehan a vote of confidence.

“This is the time when these things are thought about,” Jones said when pressed on Linehan’s future (Twitter link). “This is the time when you may see an opportunity next week that you didn’t know existed next week, in the area of personnel or the area of coaching.”

Cowboys Notes: Jones, Lawrence, Gathers

September 6th, 2018 at 9:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As he enters his mid-seventies, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is slowly handing over control of the franchise to his son, Stephen Jones, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The younger Jones is currently Dallas’ executive vice president, CEO, and director of player personnel, so he’s more than prepared to take on a larger role. Stephen Jones takes a more conservative financial stance than his father, per Moore, which could indicate the Cowboys will have their cap in better order when he eventually takes over. Notably, Stephen pushed the Cowboys to eschew drafting Johnny Manziel in 2014, and lobbied instead to select guard Zack Martin, a win for the club.

Free agent guard Xavier Su’a-Filo worked out for the Cowboys on Thursday, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. A former second-round pick Su’a-Filo spent four years with the Texans before inking a deal with the Titans earlier this year. He didn’t make it through final roster cuts, which is perhaps unsurprising given that he finished as a bottom-three guard in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. Dallas, though, needs depth along the interior of its offensive line given injuries to Zack Martin and Travis Frederick, so Su’a-Filo could be an option for the club.
Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is paying attention to the recent extensions signed by fellow defenders Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, and said his free agent price is rising correspondingly, per Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Lawrence will earn $17.143MM under the franchise tender in 2018, but has already said he’s not open to playing on the tag in 2019 (not that he’ll have much of a choice if the Cowboys opt to deploy it again). Now that both Donald and Mack have crossed the $22MM/year threshold, the sky is the limit for Lawrence, who will aim to build on an excellent 2018 campaign that included 14.5 sacks.
Further details have emerged regarding tight end Rico Gathers‘ recent arrest for marijuana, as Kate Hairopaulos of the Dallas Morning News details. Gathers was arrested after he and a female companion were discovered smoking in Central Park in Frisco, Texas, and police found 0.078 ounces of marijuana on the former collegiate basketball player. Gathers’ arrest became public on Saturday just prior to roster cutdowns, but Dallas decided to keep him around nevertheless. He could potentially serve a brief league-imposed suspension down the line.

Tag Fallout: Bell, Lawrence, Johnson

July 16th, 2018 at 8:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Monday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions came and went without a deal. For the Steelers, this could well mean the beginning of an era’s end. For the Cowboys, Lions and Rams, prices for their tagged performers went up for future purposes. Here’s the latest fallout from the tag deadline.

Despite reports the Cowboys and DeMarcus Lawrence were going to engage in discussions about an extension prior to Monday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports no substantive talks had occurred in months. The parties last participated in a real debate about Lawrence’s value in March, per Archer. That doesn’t make these talks much different from the Lions and Ziggy Ansah, with Bob Quinn effectively admitting they were planning to use the tag to evaluate their injury-prone defensive end this season. Lawrence has struggled with multiple maladies as well, and it seems the Cowboys are willing to have a $17.1MM cap hit on the books to see if he can deliver another strong season.
Lawrence did not express concern about playing this season for that amount, but he does not want to play on what’s essentially a rental agreement in 2019. The defensive end, though, would make $20.5MM if the Cowboys tagged him again. And Archer expects that’s exactly what will end up happening (Twitter link). A $20.5MM hit may be not be as damaging as it once was, but it will likely represent a slightly greater percentage of Dallas’ 2019 cap than Lawrence’s 2018 hit does for this year’s $177MM ceiling. If the cap goes up by its usual $10MM or close approximation, a $20.5MM hit would take up nearly 11 percent of the Cowboys’ ’19 cap. This season, the 26-year-old defender will occupy 9.66 percent of the Cowboys’ cap.
Le’Veon Bell also appears to concede 2018 will be his Steelers finale. In a tweet, the sixth-year running back apologizes to fans for he and the Steelers’ inability to finalize a deal that satisfied both parties. “My desire always has been to retire a Steeler,” Bell said. “Both sides worked extremely hard today to make that happen, but the NFL is a hard business at times…to the fans that had hope, I’m sorry we let youu (sic) down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date.” The Steelers are believed to have offered Bell a five-year deal worth $70MM, but it’s unknown what the guarantees came out to in that proposal.
Bell is betting that a better offer will be there in March, but Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network points out (video link) the Steelers no longer have a reason to preserve their starting back for the future. This is a unique wrinkle to the two-tag process that didn’t affect Kirk Cousins or Trumaine Johnson. The team already uses Bell like an old-school workhorse, albeit with a modern spin thanks to Bell’s abilities through the air, and Kinkhabwala expects the 26-year-old’s workload to meet and possibly eclipse his 406-touch 2017 regular season. That would put him well over 1,500 carries, which would be unique for a free agent running back seeking a major contract.
One player who had a vested outside interest in Bell reaching an agreement with the Steelers is now on his own. But Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets David Johnson‘s agent should now use the Steelers’ leaked five-year, $70MM offer as the new running back ceiling rather than Devonta Freeman‘s five-year, $41.25MM contract when negotiating with the Cardinals. Considering how big of a gap there is between these numbers (nearly $6MM AAV) and the lack of known guarantees, that might be a tough sell for the Cardinals. Corry adds that a Johnson 2019 tag would come out to approximately $11.3MM. That figure is now more relevant now that Bell is set to play on his $14.5MM tag rather than a market-resetting long-term deal.

DeMarcus Lawrence Against Playing On Tag After This Season

July 16th, 2018 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Four players are set to play on a franchise tender this season. DeMarcus Lawrence‘s 14.5-sack showing in 2017 prompted the Cowboys to place a $17.1MM tag on him this year, and he did not object to that arrangement.

However, he does not want this situation to repeat itself. Lawrence’s goal is to secure a long-term extension with the Cowboys after this season, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that the fifth-year defensive end will not play on the tag in 2019.

While a 2019 tag would exceed $20MM, a historic one-season windfall for a non-quarterback, Lawrence wants a commitment after this 2018 rental setup concludes. The Cowboys are now intent to see if Lawrence’s breakout was a fluke. Those 14.5 sacks eclipsed his previous three-season total by 5.5, and 10 of those sacks came in the season’s first seven weeks.

A report earlier this month indicated the Cowboys were OK with Lawrence playing this year on the tag. Lawrence said he would be. The $17MM-plus cap hit doesn’t damage Dallas’ ledger like it would have in previous years. And next season, Tony Romo and Dez Bryant‘s dead-money figures are off the Cowboys’ books. They are projected to possess more than $50MM in cap space, and if Lawrence can deliver another strong season, the franchise would be in better position to hammer out a long-term agreement.