One major free agent departure could actually help the Cowboys

The one thing Jerry Jones made sure to do last offseason was bring back every key player who helped the team reach the playoffs. But with a looming free agent to one of the team’s most valuable pass rushers, he’ll have to decide what’s more important. 

DeMarcus Lawrence will be a free agent after the 2024 season concludes. And at 32 years old, Jones will have to decide if he’s worth bringing back. Lawrence has played just four games and the team has had to learn to play without his presence. 

Because of that and how much money he’s going to cost to bring back, it’s probably not worth it. And remember, Jones still has to pay Micah Parsons. This would free up cap space for more wiggle room. 

But Lawrence also hasn’t been nearly as destructive as he was in his early years. Despite playing a full season in all but two of the last eight seasons, he hasn’t recorded more than 10 sacks in a season since 2018. 

On top of that, when Lawrence went down, Jones said instead of making a pricey trade, he opted to develop the younger pass rushers. 

This is his chance to show that this season’s development will pay off next year. 

Dallas has to part ways with DeMarcus Lawrence even if it’s easier said than done

Lawrence has been injured most of the season, playing just four games due to a foot injury. With Dallas’ season practically over, it’s not likely he plays again in 2024. So with that in mind, the fact that Micah Parsons needs a long term contract and DeMarvion Overshown has shown his potential, is it worth shelling out money for Lawrence?

The Cowboys need real help and depth at pass rush. Bringing back Lawrence wouldn’t necessarily cover that. Not including 2024, the two seasons prior he played all 17 games each year and totaled 10 sacks combined.

For reference, he was 58th in his sack total in 2022 and 117th in 2023. That’s not worth bringing back. If the Cowboys are that desperate, they can turn to the draft to get reinforcements. They did it in 2020 when they grabbed Micah Parsons. 

But re-signing Lawrence seems like a waste of money. They need more help than an aging Lawrence. Let him go to a team like Baltimore or Detroit where there will be significantly less pressure for him to look like he did in his prime.