Per multiple reports, including one from Dallas Cowboys ESPN Insider Todd Archer, The Dallas Cowboys and All-Pro Defensive End DeMarcus Lawrence have agreed to a new five year contract.
Per Archer’s reports the new contract will be for five years and $105 million. After weeks of negotiating and reports that Lawrence was looking for $23 million as an average annual salary, the two sides agree to a deal that will pay the elite pass rusher $21 million per year on average.
The sticking point in negotiations was likely going to be over the guaranteed money. Lawrence will earn $65 million in guaranteed money over the course ignorance the contract.
Per Albert Breer, Lawrence will earn that $65 million over the first three years of his contract, which means if the Dallas Cowboys need to, they can get out of his deal prior to year four with less of a cap hit with no guaranteed money after year three.
Though he’ll get $31 million this year, that won’t be his cap hit. The Dallas Cowboys will structure the contract so they aren’t taking that big of a year one cap hit.
Lawrence, the Dallas Cowboys second round pick from the 2014 NFL Draft finally had his breakout season in 2017 when he put up 14.5 sacks. In 2018, while playing on the franchise tag, he produced 10.5 sacks.
Not only is Lawrence one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, he’s arguable the best 4-3 defensive end when it comes to playing the run.
This deal means that Lawrence is signed through the 2023 season and will continue wreaking havoc for the Dallas Cowboys.
It was a deal that was always going to get done as Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones has been searching for his “war daddy” to replace former pass rushing great DeMarcus Ware.
Now that the Dallas Cowboys have licked up their premiere pass rusher, they will now field a defense that should contend for the best defense in the NFL in 2019. The addition or Robert Quinn gives Lawrence a legit rusher to help him get to the quarterback. Teams won’t be able to focus solely on Lawrence in their blocking schemes.
This is a great deal for both Lawrence and the Cowboys. Lawrence gets big guaranteed money and the Cowboys get some relief after year three of for some reason he doesn’t continue to be the dominant player we’ve seen over the last two years.
