Dallas Cowboys insider suggests four-time Pro Bowler might just follow Zack Martin into retirement
Zack Martin informed the Dallas Cowboys he'd be retiring from the NFL last week. He might not be the only standout player to call it a career this year, at least according to Stephen Jones' recent comments to insider David Moore from The Dallas Morning News. According to Moore, "Club officials hope to retain free agents […]
Zack Martin informed the Dallas Cowboys he'd be retiring from the NFL last week. He might not be the only standout player to call it a career this year, at least according to Stephen Jones' recent comments to insider David Moore from The Dallas Morning News.
According to Moore, "Club officials hope to retain free agents Jourdan Lewis and Rico Dowdle while getting a feel for whether veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence wants to continue his career.
Jones told Moore ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine they didn't "know" what decision Lawrence would make as the defensive end gets ready to turn 33 years old in April.
Lawrence is at a comparable stage in his career, although he hasn’t told the club he intends to follow Martin’s path.
“We don’t know that one yet,‘’ Jones said. “We’re going to meet with his agent here.‘’ – David Moore
Unlike Martin did with almost a year in advance, Lawrence hasn't given any public hints at a potential retirement, which makes the possibility a surprise at this stage of the offseason.
Lawrence is a pending free agent for the Cowboys and a tricky one to figure out. He played in only four games last year before suffering a foot injury that kept him off the field all year. When healthy, he's been one of the most underrated players in the NFL. He's one of the most complete defensive ends, excelling as a run defender above all else.
Should he wish to continue to play, there should be interest from multiple teams in landing his services. At 33 years old and coming off of a four-game season, he could be the classic case of a low-risk, high-reward addition. Pro Football Focus projects him to sign a two-year deal worth an average $7.5 million per year. He's ranked as the 9th best free agent among edge rushers.
For now, it appears the Cowboys will attempt to figure out whether or not he wants to keep playing. The next step will be figuring out his value and how much is enough to keep him from hitting the market.
