The deadline in the NFL for signing players to new extensions came and went on Monday afternoon with a few notable Pro Bowls remaining without another contract in place.
One of which was Dallas Cowboys defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence, failing to ink a lucrative extension that would keep him under a long-term deal. According to Ian Rapport of The NFL Network, Lawrence isn't expected to be willing to play on the franchise tag for a second straight year next summer.
For #Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence, his goal is to go out, play on the tag and earn a long-term deal in Dallas. Source said he will not play on a second consecutive tag in 2019.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2018
It had been expected that Lawrence would be unable to have a new contract in place prior the deadline as the Cowboys appear to be willing to wait and see if the 26-year-old can build off his breakout 2017 campaign. He had earned his first Pro Bowl selection and a Second-Team All-Pro after racking up a career-best 14.5 sacks. He finished tied for second in the NFL in sacks, and his 79 total pressures were the third-most in the football land, according to Pro Football Focus. He is also only the third player in franchise history to record at least 14.0 sacks in a single season, joining DeMarcus Ware and Jim Jeffcoat for that impressive mark.
Lawrence has shown that he can perform at an elite level, but there remains some skepticism that he can keep up that strong level of play in the 2018 campaign. In order words, the Cowboys didn't want to overspend for a player experiencing one outlier phenomenal season and come back down to playing under the level of expected performance that comes with a huge contract.
This now sets up an even more critical season ahead for Lawrence to showcase that he can replicate or improve off the breakout year to earn the lucrative deal that he believes he deserves. Simply put, it's now on his shoulders to prove that on the field.
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