After refusing to take a pay cut, DeMarcus Lawrence’s future with the Dallas Cowboys was in doubt.

INDIANAPOLIS. Among the Cowboys’ highest-paid players, quarterback Dak Prescott has a guaranteed job, wide receiver Amari Cooper doesn’t, and DeMarcus Lawrence is apparently a defensive end.

While team officials are close to releasing Cooper, who will be guaranteed a base salary of $20 million on March 20 if he is on the roster, Lawrence is in a different situation.

Lawrence is considered the Cowboys’ best pass rusher and the most expensive, as he is expected to earn $19 million in 2022, the second-highest salary on the team. However, multiple sources said Lawrence was asked by the team to take a pay cut, which he refused.

Usually, when a player refuses a pay cut, they are soon released.

In 2014, soon-to-Hall of Fame linebacker DeMarcus Ware was asked by Cowboys officials to take a pay cut, but he refused. Ware was eventually released. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said it was one of the toughest decisions he had to make.

As for Lawrence, Jones faces another difficult decision.

After consecutive Pro Bowl seasons in 2017 and 2018, when Lawrence hit 25 sacks, the scoring has changed.

Over the past three seasons, Lawrence has 14 ½ sacks and 33 quarterback hits. And last season, he only played seven games due to a broken bone in his foot.

However, when Lawrence plays, he is dynamic.

He takes the pressure off fellow defenseman Randy Gregory by facing two teams, and the arrival of super-talented midfielder Mickey Parsons is partly due to what Lawrence brings.

The Cowboys appreciate Lawrence’s ability to catch up from behind in a running game and his constant push forward on passes.

He also became Parsons’ mentor on and off the field, which is hailed by Cowboys officials. But the business side of the NFL dictates a departure.

“We’re reviewing every player on our roster,” said Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones of the National Scouting Association. “I know [the media] can target guys that you think we can pay attention to, and usually these are guys who make a lot of money. Unfortunately, in this league, it’s all about making money. Is there value? We will definitely work on this.”

Since Gregory is an unrestricted free agent, the addition of Lawrence’s release creates a hole in the defensive unit that has been impressive in the 2021 season.

If the Cowboys cut Lawrence and re-sign Gregory, the question arises.

Are the Cowboys a better team with Gregory and Dorans Armstrong (another unrestricted free agent for the Cowboys) on defense than, say, Lawrence and Gregory? Or maybe even Lawrence and Armstrong? Can the Cowboys pick another defensive end and pair him with Lawrence?

It seems unthinkable to do something like this, but the Cowboys are nearly $25 million over the salary cap, which has created these problems. Dallas will be capped, but how they do it will affect the roster, especially one of its highest paid players.

Cutting Lawrence will save $19 million in capital for 2022 and bring in $19 million in dead money spread over the next two seasons.

Does it make sense to release one of your more productive players?

The Cowboys have 21 unrestricted free agents on their roster, and yes, team officials would love to bring every player back. It’s unrealistic.

It is important to have room to re-sign most of these players, and that could come at the expense of contract restructuring and the release of veterans like Cooper and Lawrence.

“We just need to make some decisions,” Stephen Jones said. “Some are difficult, but I think those are unfortunately, if we lose a couple of good players, then hopefully we continue to do well in our draft process and look for value in free agents so we can pick the way we have historically. compiled that is not based on necessity, but based on the best player available.”

Lawrence and his family want to stay in Dallas. It seems natural to him. If the Cowboys let him go thinking he might come back, people close to the defense believe he will be getting a high salary in the open market for teams that need a pass rusher.

When it comes to Lawrence, he is one of the highest paid in his position and now his tenure in the franchise he wants to stay with is short.

The highest salaries of cowboys

PlayerPositionBase salary 2022
Duck PrescottQB$20 million
Amari CooperWR$20 million
Demarcus LawrenceDE$19 million
Tyrone SmithLT$13.4 million
Ezekiel ElliottRB$12.4 million

The tallest cowboy caps

PlayerPositionSalary ceiling number for 2022
Duck PrescottQB$34.4 million
Demarcus LawrenceDE$27 million
Amari CooperWR$22 million
Zach MartinWG$20.1 million
Ezekiel ElliottRB$18.2 million

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