Watkins: Demarcus Lawrence paid attention to Le’Veon Bell’s holdout. Hopefully the Cowboys did, too

Cotton

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Demarcus Lawrence paid attention to Le’Veon Bell’s holdout. Hopefully the Cowboys did, too
By Calvin Watkins Nov 19, 2018

Jerry​ Jones​ has repeatedly discussed​ extending the contract of Cowboys​ quarterback Dak Prescott. He talks about it on the​​ radio. He talks about it with reporters. And, in private, he discusses what he must pay Prescott.

Jones’ belief in his quarterback stems from a reluctance to return to the past. The Cowboys spent a long stretch without a capable quarterback after Troy Aikman’s retirement. Jones doesn’t want to look for another one.

He found his man in Tony Romo and enjoyed 157 starts over 13 years with him. But when Romo’s health betrayed him, it was time for someone else to take over. Enter Prescott.

While Jones clearly believes in Prescott’s future, we’ve seen no such confidence in Demarcus Lawrence to this point. The Cowboys’ best pass-rusher was franchised this past season for $14.5 million. And if the Cowboys believe franchising him again in 2019 benefits them, a source close to Lawrence said it would be “unacceptable.”

Jones hasn’t publicly discussed his thoughts on taking care of Lawrence long-term. That might be because he knows any deal won’t be cheap; Lawerence’s value is rising fast.

Lawrence enters the Thanksgiving Day game against Washington tied for 12th in sacks (8) and quarterback hits (14). While Lawrence went through a three-week stretch without a sack and registered only one quarterback hit, the attention he brings off the edge from tackles, tight ends and running backs isn’t forgotten about in the NFL.

Lawrence is an elite pass rusher who could break the bank in 2019. Just before this season, the Bears’ Khalil Mack got $60 million guaranteed with an average salary of $23.5 million. Aaron Donald of the Rams got $50 million guaranteed with an average salary of $22.5 million.

What do you pay Lawrence?

If the Cowboys are thinking of franchising him again, the Steelers’ handling of Le’Veon Bell (and his response) might give them pause.

Bell was franchised for a second consecutive year by the Steelers and elected not to report for the entire 2018 season. Bell rejected a $14.5 million franchise tag from the Steelers with the hope he would become an unrestricted free agent next year.

Bell and the Steelers failed to reach an agreement the last two offseasons, but the running back reported for work in 2017. Not so this year.

It was a stunning decision by Bell to not only reject the franchise tag but to miss the entire season. It’s hard to rationalize giving up $14.5 million. Bell’s reasoning is that he wants to save his body from the pounding that a running back goes through. He believes he can receive a bigger payday from another team next year.

This has not eluded Lawrence’s attention.

“He got good money and if he was smart with it, he protected it,” Lawrence told The Athletic about Bell. “Now it’s not even about the pockets. It’s about the body and the mind. And so if they want to go cheap, he shouldn’t settle for cheap and cut his costs because the organization says he’s worth this much. It’s all up to him. He has to play this game. Nobody has to play this game but him.”

There are complications with this decision, and everybody is watching.

According to ESPN, the Steelers believe they can utilize a $9.5 million transition tag on Bell next offseason and match any offer sheet. The NFLPA disputes this, based on the ESPN report, because the transition tag must be $14.54 million.

An arbitrator might decide Bell’s fate. Of course, the Steelers could just let Bell go in free agency and get a compensatory pick when he signs with another team. Washington will wind up with a third-round compensatory pick in 2019 due to Kirk Cousins’ departure in free agency. They franchised him in 2016 and 2017 before seeing him sign in Minnesota for $90 million, fully guaranteed.

The Cowboys have only franchised a player for the second time once in the history of the tag: pass-rusher Anthony Spencer. After he was franchised twice, he signed a one-year contract and then hit free agency. He eventually played for the Saints for one season before he was cut in 2015.

Lawrence, 26, is entering his prime and proving he can become a durable player after dealing with minor back surgery two years ago. He has played the majority of the season with a tear in his labrum. He’s not sure if he needs offseason surgery, but this health issue could affect his payday.

Lawrence, however, has played through the shoulder injury and is forcing the Cowboys to think long and hard about his potential deal. In training camp, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said the team can pay not only Prescott but Ezekiel Elliott and Lawrence, too. The salary cap is expected to rise by at least $10 million, and Dallas projects to have $54 million in room next year even before that increase — or any moves to shed salary.

The Cowboys can’t upset Lawrence with another franchise tag. Lawrence sees what Bell has gone through. And while he hasn’t said he will not sign another franchise tag, the perception that he won’t still looms.

“To be honest, hats off to (Bell) for standing by his word and meaning what he says,” Lawrence said. “That’s what real men do throughout their lives. Cut out all the bullshit in life and what everybody else is talking about what you should do. As long as you’re true to yourself, you ain’t got nothing else to worry about.”
 

Simpleton

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Just give him his 18 a year and be done with it. I'd go up to about 19ish but you can't pay him like Donald/Mack, they are perhaps the two very best defensive players in the game, Lawrence is excellent and deserving to be paid like he's elite but he's not those two.

The good thing about Elliott is that he's already making about 7-8 a year so it's not like he's going to be jumping from 3 to 15 or something. They should also seriously consider extending Elliott after this season, tear up his rookie deal and give him a Gurley-type deal that locks him up through his age 28 or 29 season.

It's better to start paying him big money going into year 4 so that the deal ends around age 28/29 instead of starting in year 5/6 and ending around 30/31.
 

mcnuttz

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Just give him his 18 a year and be done with it. I'd go up to about 19ish but you can't pay him like Donald/Mack, they are perhaps the two very best defensive players in the game, Lawrence is excellent and deserving to be paid like he's elite but he's not those two.

The good thing about Elliott is that he's already making about 7-8 a year so it's not like he's going to be jumping from 3 to 15 or something. They should also seriously consider extending Elliott after this season, tear up his rookie deal and give him a Gurley-type deal that locks him up through his age 28 or 29 season.

It's better to start paying him big money going into year 4 so that the deal ends around age 28/29 instead of starting in year 5/6 and ending around 30/31.
Agree all around, especially on the Zeke extension. And for all that's holy, please don't extend Dak this offseason.
 

Simpleton

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Agree all around, especially on the Zeke extension. And for all that's holy, please don't extend Dak this offseason.
Yea, they'd be better off franchising Prescott after next season than extending him after this season, but knowing these fools they'll probably think they're getting ahead of the game by giving Prescott 5/125 after this year.
 

Couchcoach

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Lawrence isn't Mack or Donald, but we have to pay him close to their range or lose him.
 

mcnuttz

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Lawrence isn't Mack or Donald, but we have to pay him close to their range or lose him.
I was hopeful that Taco, Gregory, or Dorrance would step up this year and we could let Lawrence go get a huge contract elsewhere...but he's damn valuable to this defense to let him leave. Without Lawrence there is no pressure.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I was hopeful that Taco, Gregory, or Dorrance would step up this year and we could let Lawrence go get a huge contract elsewhere...but he's damn valuable to this defense to let him leave. Without Lawrence there is no pressure.
I agree although don't look now but Gregory has sacks in back to back games. He is starting to heat up.
 

Simpleton

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Even if Taco, Gregory and/or Armstrong looked like solid starters you don't let a 26 year old elite pass-rusher go.

The only way I'd let Lawrence walk would be if something ridiculous happened where like 2 out of those 3 put up 8+ sacks or something.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Even if Taco, Gregory and/or Armstrong looked like solid starters you don't let a 26 year old elite pass-rusher go.

The only way I'd let Lawrence walk would be if something ridiculous happened where like 2 out of those 3 put up 8+ sacks or something.
Yep wouldn't make any sense to let an asset like that walk out the door for free. If you have 2 or 3 elite pass rushers even better. But it doesn't make one of them any less valuable.
 

deadrise

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Just give him his 18 a year and be done with it. I'd go up to about 19ish but you can't pay him like Donald/Mack, they are perhaps the two very best defensive players in the game, Lawrence is excellent and deserving to be paid like he's elite but he's not those two.

The good thing about Elliott is that he's already making about 7-8 a year so it's not like he's going to be jumping from 3 to 15 or something. They should also seriously consider extending Elliott after this season, tear up his rookie deal and give him a Gurley-type deal that locks him up through his age 28 or 29 season.

It's better to start paying him big money going into year 4 so that the deal ends around age 28/29 instead of starting in year 5/6 and ending around 30/31.
That's very smart about Zeke's contract. But that's the problem with it: it's smart and forward thinking, which means Dumb and Dumber won't think of it. The way Elliott runs the ball I can imagine a lot of tread being off the tires by age 28. That's exactly when you want a RB contract winding down.
 
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