The Dallas Cowboys have already made several moves this offseason, and their No. 1 priority is retaining the services of their homegrown talent.
Osa Odighizuwa, C.J. Goodwin, Brock Hoffman, and Markquese Bell have already agreed to terms, but others might require a more detailed review.
One is corner Jourdan Lewis, and the other is defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
The veteran saw his season end prematurely last season after just four games. He is now a free agent and looking to sort out his future.
Lawrence's agent, David Canter, stated at the NFL scouting combine that "there's a number" and that if that number is agreed upon, Lawrence will be a Cowboy in 2025.
For USA Today, getting D-Law re-signed is a top priority.
"He will be 33 next month but he's proven to still be a disruptive force off the edge 11 seasons in," USA Today writes. "He suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 4, but posted three sacks, a forced fumble, four tackles for loss and five QB hits before the injury. He's one year removed from grading as the eighth overall edge rusher per PFF."
But our Mike Fisher - while not disagreeing with the "disruptive force'' part - is predicting that Dallas will not "prioritize'' D-Law and that the long-time standout might sign elsewhere.
"The Cowboys initial plan going into the 'Blow It Up' concept of a year ago was to say goodbye to Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence,'' Fish says. "I think the organization has been planning to turn the page here.''
Lawrence, maybe unfairly, is almost the forgotten man from 2024, and his stats prior to his injury suggest that he still has plenty left in the tank.
But D-Law will likely command a market value of $12 million APY per spotrac.com and a two-year deal worth $24 million. Will the Cowboys fork out that kind of money?
Again, Fisher doesn't see that happening here.
Osa is already signed, Micah Parsons should be next, plus with the return of Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland, Lawrence could give the defensive line under new coordinator Matt Eberflus some serious help
Superb against the run, Lawrence played well last season when the Cowboys didn't, and yes, the money might be a bit steep, but as Lawrence stated, "The ball is in their court,'' regarding the contract.
So, Lawrence knows what he wants, and so does Dallas. But how much do the Cowboys want a D-Law return? We won't have to wait long to find out.
