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
