The Cowboys are planning to franchise tag defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence but will not make the move Tuesday, the first day NFL teams are allowed to exercise the designation, the Dallas Morning News reports. Instead, the Cowboys will wait until the end of the two-week window to tag Lawrence as they negotiate a long-term deal with his agent, David Carter.
Should the Cowboys use the franchise tag on Lawrence by March 6, when the window closes, the team and player still would have until July 16 to agree to a long-term contract. That would be to Dallas’ benefit since a long-term deal would significantly lower Lawrence’s salary cap number.
Under the franchise tag, Lawrence would make about $17.5 million, all of which would count against the team’s salary cap next season. The Cowboys have about $20 million in cap space for 2018.
Cowboys will not place franchise tag on DeMarcus Lawrence tomorrow as that window opens but will do so by March 6 w/ understanding the goal is to reach a long-term deal. Both sides have until July 16 to make that happen.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) February 19, 2018
"Our first goal is to sign him to a long-term deal," Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said at the Senior Bowl last month. "To me, the only reason you use a franchise tag is to hopefully protect yourself if you can't get a long-term deal signed that you like. That's normally the route we like to go. Certainly we're going to roll up our sleeves and see if we can do something with DeMarcus without having a franchise tag."
The Cowboys have used the franchise tag five times in team history, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted: Tackle Flozell Adams (2002). Safety Ken Hamlin (2000). Linebacker Anthony Spencer (2012, 2013). Wide receiver Dez Bryant (2015).
As for Lawrence, the Dallas Morning News writes, “The reality is that the deal might not come together quickly with both sides holding leverage in negotiations. Lawrence is coming off a career year in which he finished tied for second in the NFL with 14 1/2 sacks, but prior to that he underwent back surgeries in consecutive offseasons.”
