Franchise Tag: Demarcus Lawrence & the Salary Cap

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Name me 4 of those guys you would sign over Lawrence for next season.

Exactly this isn’t 2000 anymore. 4/5 million a year gets you a borderline starter if you’re lucky. I’d rather have Lawrence than any of those 5 players.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

The following players were signed between 5 and 6 million dollars.



Mike Remmers RT 28 CAR MIN 5 $30,000,000 $6,000,000
A.J. Klein ILB 26 CAR NO 4 $24,000,000 $6,000,000
Dion Sims TE 26 MIA CHI 3 $18,000,000 $6,000,000
Lawrence Timmons ILB 31 PIT MIA 2 $12,000,000 $6,000,000
Brian Hoyer QB 32 CHI SF 2 $12,000,000 $6,000,000
Josh McCown QB 38 CLE NYJ 1 $6,000,000 $6,000,000
Terrelle Pryor WR 28 CLE WAS 1 $6,000,000 $6,000,000
Brandon Carr CB 31 DAL BAL 4 $23,500,000 $5,875,000
J.C. Tretter C 26 GB CLE 3 $16,750,000 $5,583,333
Sylvester Williams DT 29 DEN TEN 3 $16,500,000 $5,500,000
Darrelle Revis CB 32 NYJ KC 2 $11,000,000 $5,500,000
Jeremy Maclin WR 29 KC BAL 2 $11,000,000 $5,500,000
Nick Foles QB 28 KC PHI 2 $11,000,000 $5,500,000
Markus Wheaton WR 26 PIT CHI 2 $11,000,000 $5,500,000
Brandon Marshall WR 33 NYJ NYG 2 $11,000,000 $5,500,000
Marcus Cooper CB 27 ARI CHI 3 $16,000,000 $5,333,333
Malcolm Smith OLB 28 OAK SF 5 $26,500,000 $5,300,000
Jared Cook TE 30 GB OAK 2 $10,600,000 $5,300,000
Terrell McClain DE 29 DAL WAS 4 $21,000,000 $5,250,000
Kyle Juszczyk FB 26 BAL SF 4 $21,000,000 $5,250,000
Chris Baker DT 30 WAS TB 3 $15,750,000 $5,250,000
Benjamin Ijalana RT 28 NYJ NYJ 2 $10,250,000 $5,125,000
Austin Howard RT 30 OAK BAL 3 $15,025,000 $5,008,333
Stacy McGee DT 27 OAK WAS 5 $25,000,000 $5,000,000
Latavius Murray RB 26 OAK MIN 3 $15,000,000 $5,000,000
Torrey Smith WR 28 SF PHI 3 $15,000,000 $5,000,000
Morris Claiborne CB 27 DAL NYJ 1 $5,000,000 $5,000,000


All players signed between 5-6 million

And what 4 of those players would you like over Lawrence ? Lol I’ll wait.

 

[baltcowboy]

Exactly this isn’t 2000 anymore. 4/5 million a year gets you a borderline starter if you’re lucky. I’d rather have Lawrence than any of those 5 players.

Watching Rams vs Cowboys from early this year. Dak and Dez look good early. What happened the rest of the season?

 

[Galian Beast]

Financially wise? Depends on your perspective. If he turns out to be a one year wonder the franchise tag is a bargain and saves you a lot of money long term.

That's comparing two poor financial decisions.

 

[Galian Beast]

And what 4 of those players would you like over Lawrence ? Lol I’ll wait.

Keep waiting.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Under no circumstances should the Cowboys put the franchise tag on Demarcus Lawrence. As great as Lawrence was for us this season it would be financial maleficence to tag him with a contract near 20 million for the year.

You're talking about a player who missed for one reason or another 16 games in a 64 game period and is known to have back issues. You're also talking about a player who has only really shown up for more than one full year.

Is he likely to show up again in a contract tagged year? My guess is yes, but my argument is that even if he were to show up and stay healthy, the cost associated with it makes no sense.

If you want to sign him long-term, do so (but I wouldn't do that either). None of these double-digit defensive ends are winning super bowls for a reason. While they are the best defensive ends in the league, they aren't good enough to impact plays consistently enough to make their team win and win big, nor are they able to stay healthy enough.

Please imagine for instance 18 or so million dollars sitting on the bench due to an injury (see JJ Watt) and what impact that has on the rest of the team, rather than having 3-5 really really good players with salaries ranging from 5-6 million each, hell even two 9 million dollar players helps spread the risk to a significant degree better than lumping it all into one player who as I said before hasn't even shown up consistently. It's a recipe to get burnt.

The Patriots have two players who earn double-digit salaries. Brady and an elite CB that was drafted in the 1st round, and who they took away from their division rivals. A young veteran whose contract they can get out of within 3 or 4 years if they have to. His average salary is only 13 million. Nowhere near the 17-19 million, it will take to franchise Lawrence.

I mentioned players who make 5-6 million each being a better investment. Guess how many players the Patriots pay over 5 million dollars? 10 guys...

Even without Romo (1) on the active roster, he cost us 9 million dollars this year. Even without paying for an elite QB on the active roster we have two players in the double digits, Tyrone Smith (2) and Dez Bryant (3).

Without Romo, Bryant is worthless. Cutting him saves 8.5 million next year and 16.5 million the year after. You've lost the chance to trade him but you do need to cut him at this point.

I'm actually stunned the Cowboys haven't tried to trade Smith while they can. I'm stunned they didn't use this awful year as a signal that real change needed to happen and started fairly fresh (great time to get rid of Garrett and refocus on a growing talent pool on defense). Smith is only 27 years old, but 7 years pro. I wonder if Smith is going to get healthier as he gets older? I'm doubtful. When was the last time we got a 1st round draft pick for a player? How about a 2nd? or a 3rd? The Cowboys never get value for top talented players. They just wait until they wither away on our salary cap.

Tyrone Crawford (4) costs us 9 million a year and hasn't so much as sniffed a pro bowl. One of the worst contracts in the Jason Garrett era, and like Carr we have never tried to move on from it.

Sean Lee (5) costs 7 million a year and is worth every penny when he is on the field... We need to draft a linebacker high and start preparing for life after Lee. We need to move Lee back to middle linebacker and move Jaylon to the weak side. Let Hitchens walk. We should probably draft two linebackers within the first five picks next year.

Jason Witten (6) makes 7.4 million and has never been a true red zone threat. He had less than 600 yards receiving this year and only 5 TDs... But I guess we're paying him for his "leadership".

Ezekiel Elliott (7) is one of the best players in the league. A true game changer in my opinion. I lobbied hard for us to draft him and don't regret it. At the time though, I was making the argument as an extension of Romo's career. With Dak (and not to make this about Dak) I don't see our offense being robust enough to warrant a 1st round (top 5 pick) running back. Until teams are afraid of Dak's arm, we're never going to see how good Elliott could be.

La'el Collins (8) was extended after the team saw him play RT in the offseason. I'm not saying this was a bad idea, but along the same lines of paying so much for Elliott (draft and cap wise) we're now saying we're going to have an elite offensive line, but an average offense? This smacks in the face of common sense. Now we're in a position where we have no choice but to pay Martin, who is probably our best healthy lineman.

I'm sure it won't be popular, but I say you let Lawrence (9?) walk and let someone else give him his big payday and instead pick up the comp pick. Draft a defensive end in the first round and trade up if you have to, to get the right guy. Then you hope that Taco Charlton wasn't the boneheaded draft choice I think he was and pair the two together for the next 4 years.

While he costs less than 5 million dollars, we can't even cut Terrance Williams until 2019 because his contract is all guaranteed money up front.

So to sum up the cap mismanagement:
1. 8 players making over 5 million dollars
2. 6 of the 8 players all play on offense.
3. Of the 8, 7 have red flags.
4. Of the 2 players on defense, both have red flags.
5. There is someone out there that thinks it would be a good idea to have a 9th, who will actually become the best-paid player on the team?

Off season suggestions
1. Fire Garrett and Linehan and the entire offensive coaching staff (not happening).
2. Cut Dez Bryant (probably not happening).
3. Trade Tyron Smith, his cap hit gets MUCH smaller as it goes, so hopefully, we could still get some really good value here. Major cap hit for moving him now. Hopefully for a 1st or 2nd.
4. Do everyone a favor (himself included) and cut Jason Witten. Promote Hanna and Swaim, hopefully, get something from Gathers.
5. Take the major hit and cut Tyrone Crawford now. Sign a free agent NT in free agency. Would like to look at Dontari Poe.
6. Cut Orlando Scandrick. Move Byron Jones to cornerback. Inquire about Earl Thomas.
7. Do everyone a favor and trade Cole Beasley (himself included) to the 49ers, hopefully for a 3rd. Promote Switzer.
8. Inquire about re-signing Jonathan Cooper at a decent price.
9. Sign Michael Crabtree once he is cut.

2018 Draft Priorities
1. DE
2. T (if Tyron Smith is moved)
3. LB (2x)
4. QB
5. S
6. WR

Chidobe Awuzie - Earl Thomas - Kavon Frazier or Rookie Safety - Jourdan Lewis - Byron Jones (flex)
Jaylon Smith - Sean Lee - Rookie LB (flex)
Rookie DE - Maliek Collins/David Irving - Dontari Poe - Taco Charlton

Excellent post, demon lad!
Re DLaw, PAY THE MAN!!!!!
BETTER FINANCIAL MALFEASANCE THAN NONFEASANCE AS PER USUAL!

 

[CowboyRoy]

You seem to think he'll take whatever you offer him.

Franchising him makes little sense as well, as you handicap this year completely. A player who gets hurt or doesn't perform on a franchise tag as a defensive end (who impacts the play of the game significantly less than say a QB...) but takes up nearly 20 million a year? It isn't financially wise.

As opposed to letting him walk?

 

[Verdict]

Cutting a guy we’ve waited on since Ware is a not too good idea.

Counting on and paying any player is a gamble. He’s worth the gamble.

It depends on the money. It's always about the money.

 

[Verdict]

My takeaway from the original post is that players are not worth any money and should be nickel and dimed.

I guess the owners who are all billionaires and risk nothing should just keep the revenue from, tickets, parking, tv and radio contracts? Screw the players they are just like old white men give them a place to stay out of trouble....a.m. I right?

The patriots should be ridiculed for not paying players what they are worth and for constantly finding new ways to get out of paying players who have helped them win through the years and not every team should pay no one.

Myself I like football for the players it appears in this era of fans most like the owners and the buisness element of the league and the draft. I don’t get it but whatever.

You have to consider the opportunity cost of signing a player to a given salary. The lower the salary the less risk involved. I don't think may people really care how much these guys are getting paid other than the percentage of the cap that player takes up and the performance level of the player.

 

[Verdict]

And it turns one of 2017's biggest issues into the absolute biggest issue on the team.

I mean seriously, the three biggest personnel losses on the year were Smith, Lee, and Elliott.

The team had nothing for a viable alternative to Smith being out. They obviously totally overvalued Chaz Green, not only as their starting left guard, but as their backup swing tackle! Nice double whammy there boys!

And when that not surprisingly failed (at both spots), they turned to a guy in Bell who ranked 63rd in the league as a tackle in his one year on the left side in Carolina (before they got rid of him).

So, the team followed up one mistake with another, but this plan would follow up those two mistakes with the biggest mistake of all. And leave you with absolutely nothing at left tackle.

Yeah. But we have a huge chunk of our cap tied up in Dez and Witten who aren't bringing anything to the table. We could afford 3 or 4 much better players at the salary we are currently playing those guys.

 

[Verdict]

Nobody really wants to Franchise a player. The player wants long term security and the team wants the same with a player. It is just a tool used to equal things out some even though a player might complain..>They are getting paid a great amount for a year, the team is getting the player for the year.

So you got two players both with a history of back issues now.

That really has to be looked and and be a concern.

With that said. You can't let two of the most important positions on any team go without some security in their replacements.

It has taken this team years to get a quality LT and what appears to be a quality Pass rushing DE and people think you can just get rid of them. draft another easy peasy in on draft and move on...or just bring in some lower level players to make up for it.

Just as there are no guarantees that these back issues or injuries will go away...there are no guarantees you will get a suitable replacement for to cornerstone position players.

What might be the prudent move is to keep these guys for now and try to draft or acquire other players to groom under them with the hopes of them taking over if needed. However...easier said than done but I think it would be best way to approach it.

Look...we let most of our exp CB corp go last year and took a pretty big gamble one some rookie DBs . It seems, seems at this time, to have paid off. I don't know if you can try and take that gamble again with OT or DE

So let's not go to extremes to either try and make a look at me thread then complain about it when people take your shock and awe style and then go through each response that does not bode well for your point of view in a manner that makes it clear that you are only interested in takes that mirror yours.

I think everyone in this forum would prefer we keep DLaw. That's not really the debate. The debate is at what point does the compensation to DLaw become too much of a risk for the team, or how much is too much relative to the cap. That's an inexact science.

I think he should be given a good (not outstanding) salary, but incentives to make it worth his while if he hits them. If not Franchise him.

 

[Verdict]

Ok. I understand. You don't think Lawrence can stay healthy and you would not get a big contract on him. Let's look at his career here. He broke his foot in training camp his rookie year but came back later in the year to play well in the playoffs. He had 8 sacks his second year and played the whole year. His third year he was injured (back). This year everything came together and he had an All-Pro season. He plays one of the four most important positions on the field and he was are best defensive player. We cannot let him get away for nothing. You must be worried he will get injured every year like JJ Watt. You can't think like that. Players get injured.

That's true but you can't over pay him either and let it cost you a player or two on down the line that you really want to keep.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Yeah. But we have a huge chunk of our cap tied up in Dez and Witten who aren't bringing anything to the table. We could afford 3 or 4 much better players at the salary we are currently playing those guys.

I think it’s the QB.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Keep waiting.

Exactly

 

[Verdict]

But PS please note he will want more than 13 per year.

I have a feeling we will over pay for Lawrence. I do not want to see him leave buyback a I also do not want the team held hostage with a stupid Dez type of contract. Keep in mind that Dez held us hostage we over paid him and now his contract is an albatross. Same with Witten. You can't have too many of those or it will eventually kill your cap.

 

[Verdict]

Do you really think that you - someone who created this misguided, misinformed, mess of a thread - should be bringing up the word "facts" right now? If nothing else, it shows a total lack of self awareness.

I get your point and it's valid. But at the same time no one knows for sure what will be the right thing to do because we don't have the benefit of hindsight. I would like to see us cut Dez and Witten because it increases our margin for error in paying Lawrence. I would try to resign Lawrence, but if he demands too much, franchise him and move on.

 

[Verdict]

There is no difference between you and the people who wanted to pay Dez at any cost.

There is no doubt we WAY overpaid for Dez. It would be very easy to over pay for Lawrence. But there is risk in failing to retain him or lock him up long term too.

 

[Verdict]

Again, you and your grey area hiding "get the right guy". Easy to say, with no support for it whatsoever.

Yeah, go get that guy! You know, the one who will get you 15 sacks. That guy.

Oh, and if you even could trade up for "that guy", where are you finding the resources to fill your other gaping hole at left tackle?

Oh, that's right, I'm sure there will be yet another nameless, faceless "guy" available whenever we want to fill that role, right? I mean that's how your "plan" works.

And the best part? Even if you did find those "guys", you just used up every bit of your draft capital to end up no better off than you were before the draft ever started! Again, some "plan" you've got going.

And then, again, ignorantly, you'll talk about $5-$6 million guys and then mention an $8 million guy like Poe. Once again showing how you don't think anything through.

Tyron is a guy you just have to keep and hope he stays healthy. He is relatively cheap as long as he continues to play at his current level. I would draft a stud OT, or pay for one in free agency if one becomes available. We might get the 3rd best OT in the draft at 19, depending on what happens in front of us.

 

[Verdict]

That's comparing two poor financial decisions.

I don't think you really want to have a reasonable discussion about the topic. There is risk in every move made in some form. Risk in keeping him. Risk in not keeping him. Risk in paying him. Risk in failing to pay him. Risk in franchising him. Risk in signing him long term. Risk in not signing him long term.

There is no way to know for sure which will eventually turn out to be the right call.

 

[diefree666]

If DLaw is willing to take a reasonable contract that is incentive laden then sign him. If not franchise him.