Ed Werder flips narrative with new DeMarcus Lawrence-Cowboys rumor

Amidst swirling rumors and talks ahead of free agency, Dallas ESPN reporter Ed Werder dropped some big updates about the Dallas Cowboys on Friday morning. Werder sent out a tweet saying that a source informed him that Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence “isn’t going anywhere.” Lawrence has been a name on the potential cap casualty list for quite some time now. Last week, Dallas asked Lawrence to take a pay cut, which he reportedly declined. After that, many thought his exit was inevitable. Werder’s report flips that script.

Lawrence has been a prominent staple on the Dallas defense. The almost 30-year-old also has one of the biggest contracts and base salaries heading into 2022. Now, it feels like Lawrence went from taking a cut or getting cut to steady and secure. Getting a definitive quote like that about the 2x Pro Bowler makes this seem more like news than a rumor. But, of course, things can always change next week, and free agency officially begins on Wednesday.

It’s possible that the previously reported restructuring of Dak Prescott and Zack Martin’s contracts makes the front office feel more comfortable about their cap space. Another option is for Dallas to restructure Lawrence’s contract as well. This would push his cap hit to future years. The team can hope the finances and numbers for all NFL teams will have changed by that time.

Regardless, it’s going to take a large number of maneuvers for the Cowboys to get where they need to be monetarily this offseason. In his tweet, Werder also stated that the Cowboys are still working on trade options for wide receiver Amari Cooper and are hoping to come to a long-term deal with Michael Gallup soon.

Longtime ESPN Cowboys reporter Ed Werder says DeMarcus Lawrence “isn’t going anywhere” and that Dallas is working on securing a contract with Michael Gallup

Fridays seem to be news break day for the Cowboys. Just a week ago the team reported that they were all but set on cutting Cooper. This particular quote about Lawrence, however, seems like more of a guarantee. Dallas defense fans will likely be excited to hear that Lawrence is coming back, but the chatter about his potential exit wasn’t entirely surprising given his lofty contract.

The veteran has the second-highest annual salary on the team putting him only behind Prescott. For 2022, he has a $27 million cap hit and a dead cap value of $19 million. Monetarily, he was the perfect candidate for a cap casualty. But it seems his importance to the team may be outweighing the desire to save money on his absence.

There are several jobs on the line for both free agents and for players with high contract costs. While Stephen Jones previously gave a statement that all but solidified Ezekiel Elliott‘s future on the team (despite his over $30 million cost for 2022), there is still a lot up in the air. For now, it seems like the eight-year Cowboys defender will be staying put.