KEY POINTS

  • The Cowboys are likely to release DeMarcus Lawrence, who refuses to take a pay cut
  • There is a possibility that Randy Gregory could be retained in the lineup
  • Team owner Jerry Jones is facing a tough offseason to decide on the players’ fates

The Dallas Cowboys will have a lot of personnel problems to address this offseason.

While most may have already heard about the Amari Cooper situation, it appears that DeMarcus Lawrence will be another player possibly leaving the team.

In a report from the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys reportedly asked Lawrence to take a pay cut but declined.

Hence, this hints that the two-time Pro Bowler may be headed somewhere else to play next NFL season.

Looking back to 2014, the Cowboys were in a similar situation with another player ironically named DeMarcus.

At the time, DeMarcus Ware refused a pay cut and was subsequently released by the Cowboys.

But even before this development, the status of the 29-year-old defensive end was always something that needed to be addressed.

He is due to make $19 million in base salary, something that will also count $27 million against the cap.

Hence, a potential release of Lawrence would save the Cowboys $19 million against the cap in 2022.

However, it would also mean $8 million in dead money, Pro Football Talk pointed out.

After being given a five-year $105 million extension in April 2019 for his back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, Lawrence has hardly been the same player most previously known.

At the time, he had 14.5 sacks, 26 quarterback hits, and 14 tackles for loss in 2017.

The following year, Lawrence had 10.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and 15 tackles for loss in 2018.

In 39 games over the past three seasons, the native of South Carolina has a total of 14.5 sacks, 33 quarterback hits, and 26 tackles.

In 2021, he played in only seven games after he broke his foot in practice the week after the NFL season opened.

Hence, Dallas will have a lot of manpower needs to address in Lawrence and Cooper.

Aside from these two players, there is also the case of starting defensive end Randy Gregory who is now a free agent.

If Dallas cut Lawrence, there is a chance that Gregory could be re-signed.

However, this move would be under scrutiny especially when it comes to figuring out if such a move would be productive and helpful to the Cowboys.

As things stand now, Cowboys team owner and general manager Jerry Jones will have a lot of decisions to make.

Demarcus Lawrence Dallas Cowboys
Demarcus Lawrence #90 of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
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