Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has agreed to a new three-year, $40 million deal that fully guarantees him $30 million, according to a source. It makes Lawrence the NFL’s first defensive end to have his contract fully guaranteed for seven consecutive seasons.
When the contract is up in three years, Lawrence will have made more than $130 million in cash.
Lawrence’s future appeared in doubt recently when a report indicated he had declined a pay cut. Both sides, though, worked it out.
The Cowboys needed to keep Lawrence with their other starting defensive end, Randy Gregory, now a free agent.
Lawrence was scheduled to make $19 million in base salary and count $27 million against the cap, which was the fifth-highest cap number in the league at his position. His cap number for 2022 drops to $14 million with the new deal.
Lawrence earned a five-year, $105 million extension in April 2019 after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. He had 14.5 sacks, 26 quarterback hits and 14 tackles for loss in 2017 and 10.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and 15 tackles for loss in 2018.
In 39 games the past three seasons, he has a total of 14.5 sacks, 33 quarterback hits, 26 tackles for loss and no Pro Bowls.
He played only seven games in 2021 after breaking his foot in practice the week after the opener.
