The Cowboys have had a difficult season with player health issues, and now another experienced player may conclude his career on injured reserve. Long-time lineman Zack Martin and cornerback Trevor Diggs have also expressed concern about this potential.
DeMarcus Lawrence is the bookend pass rusher to Micah Parsons.
Lawrence has not played since facing the Giants on “Monday Night Football” in Week 4, but he has been working to recover from a Lisfranc foot injury sustained that week in order to return before the end of the season. But the foot hasn’t responded as expected.
Former scout Brian Broaddus stated on Dallas radio (via SI.com): “They did their best to get him back. I passed by the pitch a few times and noticed him working hard with Cowboys trainer Britt Brown. … But they couldn’t get that (foot) where it needed to be, and the risk was not worth it for them in the long run.”
DeMarcus Lawrence Enters Free Agency
That’s obviously difficult. However, it is also tough to predict what will happen to Lawrence as the Cowboys rebuild their squad for 2025. Lawrence has played defensive end for the Cowboys for 11 seasons and has four Pro Bowl appearances to his name. He has 61.5 sacks in 141 games played.
Lawrence will be a free agent, having completed the last year of a three-year, $40 million contract inked in 2022. In 2023, he received a Pro Football Focus grade of 91, ranking him eighth in the NFL among all pass-rushers. However, he will be 33 in April, and the Cowboys have been wanting to go younger across the board.
According to Cowboys research site Inside the Star, Lawrence is nearing the end of his contract, which raises concerns about his future prospects. Could the Monday night game in New York be his final in a Cowboys uniform?”
Cowboys Could Be Priced Out of the Free Agent Market.
There is, of course, a potential that the Cowboys will bring Lawrence back, especially if he does not command a large contract on the free agent market. The Cowboys have made four-year commitments to quarterback Dak Prescott ($240 million) and CeeDee Lamb ($136 million). Next offseason, they’ll commit to paying Parsons around $140 million over four years, as he’s due for an extension.
The Cowboys will devote nearly half of their 2025 cap space to three players, out of a total of 53 on the active roster, including dead cap hits and the practice squad. There will need to be savings, and if Lawrence does not accept a reduction to stay, he may have played his final down for the Cowboys.
ESPN said in November that Lawrence may face a “strong open market” in free agency. That was before the ailment lasted the entire season, but if it remains true, Lawrence could be priced out of the Cowboys’ reach.
According to insider Jeremy Fowler, the Dallas Cowboys may prioritise paying Micah Parsons over other pass rushers, as reported by The Star. That presents difficulties in re-signing Lawrence, who should have a strong open market, but Dallas would, of course, leave the door open for conversations. Dallas has $8.7 million in 2025 empty money after previously restructuring Lawrence’s old contract.”
Leave a Reply