It turns out the Dallas Cowboys were waiting for the official start of the new league year to start making moves.
The Cowboys have been busy on Wednesday, trading for former Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam to add more depth to their cornerback room before turning around and reuniting former Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn with new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
That wasn't all Dallas had cooking. They have reportedly acquired linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. and a seventh-round pick from the Titans for a sixth-round pick. It seems the front office is hell bent on executing late-round pick swaps to improve the roster this offseason.
Amidst all of the chaos, though, DeMarcus Lawrence, one of the most beloved and underrated Cowboys in franchise history, found a new home.
Longtime Cowboys star DeMarcus Lawrence officially signs with the Seahawks.
Lawrence has inked a three-year deal with the Seahawks worth up to $42 million with $18 million guaranteed, according to his agent David Canter.
It is possible to be happy for Lawrence, who deserves to go where he's appreciated (not that he wasn't in Dallas), and be happy the Cowboys didn't pay him that contract. Simply put, $18 million guaranteed and $14 million per year is a lot of money for a soon-to-be 33-year-old defensive end who's had several lower body injuries in his career.
Just like nobody expected Lawrence to get that kind of money on the open market, it is not surprising that the Lawrence era in Dallas is over. The two sides met at the Combine to discuss their future together and Canter never made it sound like a reunion would happen.
Read more: Cowboys add another disappointing first-round pick in awful trade with Titans
A potential eventual Ring of Honor inductee, Lawrence is one of the best Cowboys players of his generation and the last 20 years. He played 11 seasons with the organization, racking up 61.5 sacks, 97 tackles for loss, 126 quarterback hits and 21 forced fumbles.
What those numbers don't show is that Lawrence was one of the best run defenders at his position throughout his Cowboys tenure, including in 2024 before a mid-foot sprain ended his season after four games.
He was a big-game player who seemingly always showed up in high-leverage moments. It is impossible to say how many wins Lawrence helped clinch over the years by single-handedly wrecking plays, but it is surely a staggeringly high number.
The Cowboys are not a better team without Lawrence, but they were better off not committing significant money to the beloved veteran.