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The Dallas Cowboys must learn from the Redskins mistakes

By Terence Watson

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 7: Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence #90 and middle linebacker Rolando McClain #55 of the Dallas Cowboys react to a play while quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks on in the third quarter at FedExField on December 7, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 7: Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence #90 and middle linebacker Rolando McClain #55 of the Dallas Cowboys react to a play while quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks on in the third quarter at FedExField on December 7, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys can’t approach negotiations with DeMarcus Lawrence the way the Redskins did with Kirk Cousins. They may end up losing a talented player in the end.

The Dallas Cowboys must learn from the mistake made by the Washington Redskins last season. When the Washington Redskins continued to place the franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins they ended up putting themselves in a situation where Cousins ended up with all of the leverage.

Cousins coming off of another strong year decided that he was going to test free agency and ended up signing a three-year, $84 million dollar deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Leaving the Redskins to trade for quarterback Alex Smith and giving him a bad contract.

The Dallas Cowboys have already placed the franchise tag on their star defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence, last season and it has been theorized that it could happen again. The Cowboys must not dangle a large contract in front of Lawrence the way the Redskins did with Cousins. Doing so risks them losing him and having no one to replace him.

Luckily for the Cowboys, Lawrence has not felt as though he is being led on as the Redskins did to Cousins. He also wants to stay with the Cowboys but isn’t going to do it for cheap. Owner Jerry Jones is going to have to work his magic to keep Lawrence and also get a team friendly contract.

Lawrence and the Cowboys have a ceiling to work with and that would be the defensive end Khalil Mack who received a six-year $141 million dollar contract with $90 million in guarantees. Lawrence would get close to that asking price but he could work around defensive end Von Miller‘s contract. Miller signed a six-year $130 million dollar deal with $69 million guaranteed.

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For the fans sake and piece of mind, they better hope the Cowboys don’t use the franchise tag on Lawrence again. They should be able to find common ground somewhere between these two contracts. If not DeMarcus Lawrence may not be as kind as he was this season signing the tag and hold out.

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