DeMarcus Lawrence: Staying With Cowboys in NFL Free Agency Would Be 'Glorious Thing'

Soon-to-be free-agent defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is open to re-signing with the Dallas Cowboys if they can find some common ground this offseason.

Speaking to Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Lawrence said: "The ball is in their court. I'm not only going to play in Dallas. I'm going to have other options, but I'd like to stay here. It would be a glorious thing. ... My family is here. I love it here. The fans love me here."

Lawrence, who will turn 33 in April, was originally a second-round pick by the Cowboys out of Boise State in 2014.

He has spent his entire 11-year career in Dallas, registering 450 tackles, 61.5 sacks, 126 quarterback hits, 97 tackles for loss and 21 forced fumbles in 141 career games.

A four-time Pro Bowler and one-time Second Team All-Pro, Lawrence is 10th on the Cowboys' all-time sacks list.

Since recording a career 14.5 sacks in 2017 and 10.5 sacks the following season, Lawrence has not had a campaign with double-digit sacks.

Despite that, he was named to the Pro Bowl in both 2022 and 2023, and he was off to a strong start last season prior to going down with an injury.

Through four games in 2024, Lawrence was the Cowboys' sack leader with three, plus he had racked up 14 tackles, five quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

However, a foot injury landed him on injured reserve and caused him to miss the final 13 games of the season.

Per Engel, Lawrence's agent David Canter said Friday on 105.3 The Fan that Lawrence is "100 percent healthy."

In addition to Lawrence, the Cowboys have several other defensive linemen set to hit free agency as well, including Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston, Linval Joseph, Carl Lawson and Carlos Watkins.

The Cowboys still have a dominant edge-rusher in Micah Parsons, who led the team with 12 sacks in just 13 games last season, but they have little else to speak of from a pass-rushing perspective.

As of now, no other Cowboys defensive lineman under contract next season had more than one sack in 2024.

That fact could compel the Cowboys to do everything in their power to retain Lawrence, but if they are unable to do so, they will have to get some pass-rushing help from elsewhere, either via free agency, trade or the draft.