If the Dallas Cowboys want to get Defensive End DeMarcus Lawrence signed to a long-term deal, they have just two weeks left to make it happen. Otherwise, Lawrence will play 2018 on the one-year franchise tag and potentially become a free agent again.
Dallas has until 4:00 pm EST on Monday, July 16th to work out a new contract with DeMarcus. That is the NFL's mandated deadline for teams to negotiate long-term deals with their franchise-tagged players.
Once the deadline passes, all tagged players are only able to sign one-year contracts with their existing team. They will not be able to sign any sort of new contract until after the regular season.
If he remains on his franchise tag salary, Lawrence will count $17.1 million against the Cowboys' cap in 2018.
DeMarcus earned the franchise tag this offseason thanks to a breakout 14.5 sacks in 2017. It was widely assumed that the tag was simply to secure Lawrence during the offseason until a long-term contract could be agreed on.
But with DeMarcus only having the one great season out of four in the NFL, perhaps the Cowboys are leery of giving him a long-term commitment at top dollar. Maybe Dallas wants to see if he can keep up the production, and stay healthy, for a season year.
The Cowboys could opt to franchise Lawrence again in 2019, but that would raise the capt hit to $20 million that year. With possible new contracts coming for Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas won't want that much cap tied up in anyone who doesn't play quarterback.
It was only about two weeks ago that the Cowboys finalized the new long-term deal for Guard Zack Martin, so perhaps they just needed to get that one out of the way first. With minicamp over and no major business taking place between now and July's training camp, Dallas should be able to make re-signing Lawrence its top priority.
The deadline will help to spur things along, provided both parties are wanting to get the deal done. It's rare that money stay an issue between players of DeMarcus' caliber and the Cowboys organization.
But the clock is definitely ticking. Dallas can afford to keep Lawrence on the franchise tag this year if they must, but it means potentially being back in this same spot next year.
And if DeMarcus has another Pro Bowl season, the negotiations are only going to get tougher.
Resigning him will be difficult because he only had one dominant season. He wants Griffin from Minnesota money, but Griffin has been consistently dominant. They might have to just let the contract ride out because one season shouldn’t entitle you get top DE pay, we gotta see it again. Martin got paid because he’s been dominant every year he’s been here. I hope they pay him but we definitely wanna see it again without the injuries
I agree and just having a downside of $3 million more next year to tag Lawrence if he’s had a dominant year, is worth avoiding a risk now on a deal that turns into cap hell in out years if he can’t go. The Cowboys are just getting out this year of that mistake on the last Romo contract, and it kept the team from getting an impact free agent.
If the Cowboys return to the playoffs this year it is likely they will be one impact guy away from a conference or league title. You need cap space to be able to move when you need to move. The Lakers, were just able to go get LeBron James because they had $50 million to work with.
The whole NFL salary situation is too much winner / loser and adversarial between players and teams IMO. Much rather long deals be scrapped for yearly renewals for all players, slotted statistically to their last year – very similar to how draft picks are slotted and paid. Draft picks used to hold out all the time, now they know what they are getting depending on where they get taken in the draft. Just pay each player each year according to where they ranked statistically the year prior, and you still have the option of not signing, as the team did with Bryant this off season.