The Cowboys want to make sure they retain DeMarcus Lawrence.
After the 25-year-old defensive end racked up 14 1/2 sacks last season, the Cowboys are expected to place the franchise tag on Lawrence with the intent to sign him to a long-term deal. NFL Media first reported the news.
"We won't let D-Law not be a Dallas Cowboy next year. We'll get that straight right now," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Feb. 22. "We'll do everything we can to try to make something work, and if we don't get it done then we'll franchise tag him. Then we'll go back to work. We'd like to not have that franchise tag hanging out there. We've got a big negotiation ahead of us. But we don't want DeMarcus Lawrence going anywhere."
The Cowboys will have until the close of business on Tuesday to make the franchise tag official. The team will then have until July 16 to come to terms on a long-term deal with Lawrence, who was a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2014.
If Lawrence does play under the one-year tender, he will receive about $17 million in 2018.
"Franchise not bad. Contract not bad," Lawrence told NFL Media at the Pro Bowl. "So, like I said, I'm not worrying about nothing. I'll leave it up to my agent; he'll take care of me."