Franchise Tag: Demarcus Lawrence & the Salary Cap

[HungryLion]

Franchising Lawrence is one of the smartest things TJ Cowboys can do.

A one year rental with no long term risk. Another year to evaluate and see if he can perform that well consistently.

The premise of this thread is wrong from the very start. The cowboys have the cap space to pay him the franchise tag for one year and it buys the luxury of gathering more information on Lawrence’s health and consistency, before signing a risky long term deal.

Franchise tagging him is the best option the cowboys have

 

[Galian Beast]

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.

Not keep bringing up the Patriots but they're doing it right. The reason they have winning season after winning season is that they are particularly risk-averse. The risks they do take are mitigated even further by a slew of low-risk decisions.

The amount of money you tie up into the offensive and defensive line at this points is unsustainable. It's why when you lose a player like Tyron Smith your line drops so significantly in quality with backups like Green and Bell.

We're going to play the same song next year... we didn't do well because x player was hurt... same excuse and one that is NEVER given on the patriots who at one point lost Gronkowski AND Edelman at the same time and still kept trucking.

 

[Galian Beast]

Franchising Lawrence is one of the smartest things TJ Cowboys can do.

A one year rental with no long term risk. Another year to evaluate and see if he can perform that well consistently.

The premise of this thread is wrong from the very start. The cowboys have the cap space to pay him the franchise tag for one year and it buys the luxury of gathering more information on Lawrence’s health and consistency, before signing a risky long term deal.

Franchise tagging him is the best option the cowboys have

You're misunderstanding having cap space and the opportunity cost involved in making the decision. You again also don't factor in the risk involved.

 

[Galian Beast]

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.

There is very little risk involved in not overpaying players. I'm not saying you don't have to get new players in to replace their production, but as long as you aren't breaking the bank on guys, you put yourself in a position to absorb that blow.

 

[Galian Beast]

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.

So the strategy is a wish and a prayer combined with sinking more resources into the offense instead of the defense?

 

[Galian Beast]

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.

It's already killing our cap. It's why our depth at certain positions is absolute garbage.

It's why when these aging and underperforming stars don't perform well it's doubly impactful.

 

[Nightman]

Franchising Lawrence is one of the smartest things TJ Cowboys can do.

A one year rental with no long term risk. Another year to evaluate and see if he can perform that well consistently.

The premise of this thread is wrong from the very start. The cowboys have the cap space to pay him the franchise tag for one year and it buys the luxury of gathering more information on Lawrence’s health and consistency, before signing a risky long term deal.

Franchise tagging him is the best option the cowboys have

It is actually the worst plan

It ties up 17m in cap space for one year and sets his salary floor at 20m next year

He has earned a decent sized extension........5/65-75m with 30m gtd

His cap hit will be 8m with an extension vs 17m.... that 9m can be used to sign Poe and ZBrown

Three instead 1 to help the D