Williams: Cowboys will use franchise tag on DeMarcus Lawrence

Cowboysrock55

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The no-brainer is to just tag him and let him prove it.

But here we are, talking about getting a long-term deal.
The no brainer is you finally found a young stud DE who is 25. You lock him up. Otherwise you'll be in the same position again next offseason with the same exact problem and higher costs. The franchise tag should be a backup and not the go to with someone like him.
 

Simpleton

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If this 17 number is being floated at this point where everybody knows he's going to be franchised you have to think 15-16 could get it done.

I'd be happy with locking him up to something like 5 years, 75-80 million with about 30-35 or so guaranteed.
 

Cowboysrock55

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If this 17 number is being floated at this point where everybody knows he's going to be franchised you have to think 15-16 could get it done.

I'd be happy with locking him up to something like 5 years, 75-80 million with about 30-35 or so guaranteed.
Yep and odds are if his deal averages say 15, he'll only count more like 12 against the cap this year instead of 17.
 

L.T. Fan

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If this 17 number is being floated at this point where everybody knows he's going to be franchised you have to think 15-16 could get it done.

I'd be happy with locking him up to something like 5 years, 75-80 million with about 30-35 or so guaranteed.
Well write the check. :art
 

boozeman

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The no brainer is you finally found a young stud DE who is 25. You lock him up. Otherwise you'll be in the same position again next offseason with the same exact problem and higher costs. The franchise tag should be a backup and not the go to with someone like him.
The issue is he has exactly one year of quality productivity. To me, the more cautious move is to franchise him. I would love to assume he is a young stud DE, but just a year ago, he had a bad back, was fat and out of shape. There is nothing to prove he could not simply get fat and happy once he is locked down long term.
 

Cotton

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The issue is he has exactly one year of quality productivity. To me, the more cautious move is to franchise him. I would love to assume he is a young stud DE, but just a year ago, he had a bad back, was fat and out of shape. There is nothing to prove he could not simply get fat and happy once he is locked down long term.
Sucks that the cap hit would be so high this year, but I agree. Make him prove he can do it for more than just one year.
 

L.T. Fan

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Put me in charge of the football decisions and I will, and the organization would be better off for it.
I gotta go with booze on the Lawrence deal. He needs to prove he can hold up with the production the for check he is asking for. It’s easy to spend someone’s money but if it’s yours then the expectations are going to be high.
 

Simpleton

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I gotta go with booze on the Lawrence deal. He needs to prove he can hold up with the production the for check he is asking for. It’s easy to spend someone’s money but if it’s yours then the expectations are going to be high.
There is risk in signing him long-term and there's also risk in franchising him. What if he has another 10-15 sack season, what's the price then?

The franchise tag will go up to nearly $20 million, is that his new per year asking price?

He has more leverage in getting a long-term deal if he knows how restrictive placing a 2nd tag on him is.

To me, the concern is not his on-field performance, the concern is his health and I guess his character as far as suspensions for PED's, weed, or whatever. The team has to make their own judgment call on those two things, those are not areas where any of us have much insight.

On the field though he put up 8 sacks his 2nd year, made an impact after breaking his foot as a rookie, and just put up a DPOY season. His 3rd season was obviously a disappointment, but that was because of his health and the suspension.

Knowing what I know of him on the field, I take the risk on a 15-16 per year deal which is more or less market value, and if he remains a consistent 8-12 sack type of guy then it's a bargain.
 

L.T. Fan

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There is risk in signing him long-term and there's also risk in franchising him. What if he has another 10-15 sack season, what's the price then?

The franchise tag will go up to nearly $20 million, is that his new per year asking price?

He has more leverage in getting a long-term deal if he knows how restrictive placing a 2nd tag on him is.

To me, the concern is not his on-field performance, the concern is his health and I guess his character as far as suspensions for PED's, weed, or whatever. The team has to make their own judgment call on those two things, those are not areas where any of us have much insight.

On the field though he put up 8 sacks his 2nd year, made an impact after breaking his foot as a rookie, and just put up a DPOY season. His 3rd season was obviously a disappointment, but that was because of his health and the suspension.

Knowing what I know of him on the field, I take the risk on a 15-16 per year deal which is more or less market value, and if he remains a consistent 8-12 sack type of guy then it's a bargain.
Sounds like a performance contact is what is needed. Then he will have the opportunity to get all he is asking.
 
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