After being franchised tagged for a second straight year, DeMarcus Lawrence has gotten the long-term he sought from the Dallas Cowboys.
After initial talks on a long-term deal didn’t get anywhere, the Dallas Cowboys franchise tagged defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence for a second straight. Lawrence seemed ready to hold out absent a multi-year deal, but after a report earlier Friday a deal was close Ian Rapoport and Mike Garofolo of NFL Network reported the Cowboys and Lawrence have agreed to a five-year deal.
Due in part to injury, Lawrence underachieved over his first three NFL seasons. But he had a breakout season in 2017 with 14.5 sacks, and followed it with 10.5 sacks and a top-10 grade among edge defenders from Pro Football Focus last year.
Demarcus Lawrence has accumulated 142 pressures over the past two seasonshttps://t.co/FlIfjLONnw pic.twitter.com/Kvhl1lyGXK
— PFF (@PFF) January 11, 2019
Contract Terms
Rapoport has reported it’s the aforementioned five-year deal for Lawrence, worth $105 million with $65 million guaranteed.
National Reaction
Rapoport passed along the impact of Lawrence’s deal on the market for pass rushers, most specifically Frank Clark and Jadeveon Clowney.
The 5-year, more than $100M deal for #Cowboys pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence is good news for #Seahawks DE Frank Clark and #Texans edge Jadeveon Clowney. It almost certainly sets their market above $20M per year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 5, 2019
The Year 1 cash in Lawrence’s contract is above all non-quarterbacks in NFL history.
Full terms of the deal between the #Cowboys and DeMarcus Lawrence: 5 years, $105M with $65M guaranteed, source said. More money in cash than any non-QB in Year 1.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 5, 2019
DeMarcus Lawrence and Cowboys have agreed to 5-year, $105M deal with $65M guaranteed, source confirms to @usatodaysports.
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) April 5, 2019
Deal is expected to net more cash in first year than any non-quarterback in NFL history
With his new deal, per Spotrac, Lawrence is now third among defensive players in average annual value.
Highest #NFL Defensive AAVs
— Spotrac (@spotrac) April 5, 2019
Khalil Mack: $23.5M
Aaron Donald: $22.5M
DeMarcus Lawrence: $21M
Von Miller: $19M
Trey Flowers: $18M
Full List: https://t.co/SZGV1CkqeL
Albert Breer of The MMQB has the exact number on that first year, with all $65 million in guaranteed money in the deal coming in the first three years.
Cashflow of Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence's 5-year, $105 million deal ...
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 5, 2019
Year 1: $31.1 million
Over 2: $48 million
Over 3: $65 million
Via NFL Research, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater, Lawrence now sits atop the heap among defensive players in terms of guaranteed money.
https://twitter.com/SlaterNFL/status/1114308604369285120
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick is a believer in Lawrence.
If you actually watch Demarcus Lawrence play, you know he is worth every dollar and then some. Simple. #cowboys
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) April 5, 2019
Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News pointed to the stout defensive end group the Cowboys have assembled.
By far the best group of defensive ends the Cowboys have had since Rod Marinelli joined the coaching staff in 2013
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 5, 2019
DeMarcus Lawrence
Robert Quinn
Tyrone Crawford
Randy Gregory
Taco Charlton
Kerry Hyder
Dorance Armstrong
Sports “tax man” Robert Raiola reminds us Texas is a no state income tax state, which is nice for Lawrence.
Added bonus for DeMarcus Lawrence no state income tax in TX #Cowboys #NFL https://t.co/8lNlDA8XXm
— Robert Raiola, CPA (@SportsTaxMan) April 5, 2019
With Randy Gregory suspended indefinitely, and even with a trade for Robert Quinn, the Cowboys had to get something done with Lawrence. He has essentially been playing for a contract each of the last two years, so the only thing that keeps the move from getting an A grade is a bit of lingering skepticism he’ll stay motivated to produce after getting paid. But Dallas has made a significant bet he will, and time will tell if their faith is rewarded.