These 2 young lions should replace DeMarcus Lawrence

DeMarcus Lawrence will become an unrestricted free agent this month. Right now, that is really the only thing we know for sure.

The unanswered questions hanging over Lawrence’s future in Dallas are many.

There are precious few clues as to what the answers are to any of them. Even though Mario Hererra Jr. made his case here to keep Lawrence.

Lawrence will turn 33 next month and will be playing in his 12th season if he either remains in Dallas or latches onto another NFL team.

He finished with three sacks, a forced fumble, and 14 tackles in four games before a foot injury ended his year.

Marshawn Kneeland saw significant playing time in Lawrence’s absence, although he too missed time with a leg injury. Unlike the veteran, Kneeland did return and play later in the year.

In 11 games, with one start, the rookie second-round draft pick showed flashes of what drew the front office’s attention in April.

He failed to record a sack but had 14 tackles, a fumble recovery and defended a pass.

Another player who could make Lawrence expendable is another second-round pick, this one from 2022.

Sam Williams missed the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury suffered during training camp last August. In his first two seasons, he had 8.5 sacks and 48 tackles.

If he can return to form, while also leaving behind some costly penalties, Williams could very well be starting in 2025.

Roster Review 2025: DeMarcus Lawrence/Sam Williams/Marshawn Kneeland. This is Part 23 of a series. Click here for a list of all related articles.

Outlook For 2025

If Lawrence does return, it will be for a significantly lesser amount than what he made over the last five seasons, when he pulled in a total of $105 million.

His agent has stated it will be up to the Cowboys to hit Lawrence’s asking price. Of course, we don’t know what that price is.

Considering his age and that he only played in four games and was unable to return from an early-season foot injury, that price can’t be overly high.

Especially when Dallas has two players that could replace him in Williams and Kneeland.

There has been talk of Lawrence heading east to D.C. to rejoin Dan Quinn. All things considered, that might be the best possible outcome for Lawrence and the Cowboys.

It doesn’t make sense for Dallas to give Lawrence more than a two-year deal and under $10 million per year.

Especially if Kneeland and Williams are 100%.

Lawrence’s age and the Cowboys’ many needs elsewhere almost certainly dictate a parting of ways.

That would put a lot of pressure on both Williams and Kneeland this fall. With opposing offenses certain to double-team Micah Parsons, these two young players will need to step up and produce.

Williams is the better option of the two, not just in experience, but in quality of on-field production.

But Williams will need to cut out making critical penalties as he did his first two seasons at key moments of games.

Long-Term Outlook

Lawrence is almost certainly going to end his career outside of Dallas.

He’s had three seasons shortened by injuries. Two of those have come in the last four seasons.

Old bodies breakdown more frequently with age.

They also take longer to heal and fully recover, and in some cases never do.

While both Williams and Kneeland also dealt with significant leg injuries in 2024, they are both nearly a decade younger than Lawrence.

Which gives them both a better chance of coming all the way back to pre-injury form.

Hopefully, it also equates into a lesser chance of re-injury.

The best indicator of Lawrence’s long-term status in Dallas will come next month in Green Bay. If the Cowboys feel like they can bring Lawrence back, or that Williams and Kneeland are the future on the edge, they won’t draft a defensive end.

If they do, Lawrence is likely packing his bags this fall.