Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Lawrence needs to earn new deal

The Dallas Cowboys have franchise tagged DeMarcus Lawrence this off season. The Cowboys need to force Lawrence to earn a new contract.

It looks like the Dallas Cowboys and DeMarcus Lawrence will not agree on a long term contract before today’s deadline to sign franchise tagged players. On the surface, this seems like a failure on both sides. But this could work out in the Cowboys favor.

Lawrence earned his payday with his performance in the 2017 season. He recorded 14.5 sacks and forced offenses to game plan for his presence. He was able to provide a pass rush for a team that has struggled to rush the passer in years past.

He earned his payday — but only one year’s worth of pay.

To this point in his career, Lawrence has yet to perform at a level that merits a high end long term extension. The Cowboys would be wise to play hardball in negotiations. The end game would be to make Lawrence earn a long term contract by producing at the same level for two years in a row.

During his career, Lawrence has been inconsistent and unable to perform at a high level over multiple years. He has started 16 games only once in his career. He has reached double-digit sack numbers only once in his career. Of course, that one year is the year before he hits free agency.

Is DeMarcus Lawrence a one-year wonder? The Cowboys will need to find this out before signing him to a long term deal with a large amount of guaranteed money. Throwing a lot of money at Lawrence only to have him regress to average play would be a bad move.

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The Cowboys need to force Lawrence to prove he is worth a long term contract. Make him earn it on the field with his play.  If he cannot, then the Cowboys will have dodged a bullet.